3 things to know this week

LONGTIME CHRISTMAS KIDS PROGRAM RETURNS

The Christmas for Kids program is returning for its 27th year.

The program ensures every child in Cumberland County wakes up Christmas morning with a gift under the tree.

The centre, in the Amherst Centre mall, runs until Nov. 30. Families can register by calling 902-667-1949 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. every Monday to Thursday. Families will be called Dec. 7 to arrange pickup of their gifts.

Members of the public can collect cards from angel trees at the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre, Tim’s Barber Shop, Amherst Pharmasave, Community Credit Union, Artisans Gallery in the Amherst Centre, Scotiabank branches in Pugwash and Oxford, the Pugwash Co-op and Amherst Dairy Queen.

Toys, knitted goods and money can be donated. Registration for food boxes can also be taken by calling 902-667-1949.

NEW CROSSWALK FOR PARK-MISSION STREET INTERSECTION

Amherst’s Traffic Authority has approved the installation of a new crosswalk at the intersection of Park and Mission streets.

In addition, the authority has directed that yield signs at the Mission-Park Street, Mission-York Street, Mission-Hill Street and Mission Street-Snowden Avenue intersections be replaced with stop signs.

Earlier this fall, Amherst town council approved the extension of the Park Street sidewalk to the Mission Street intersection and ordered the traffic authority to conduct another crosswalk review.

CUMBERLAND MUSEUM EMBRACES WREATH FUNDRAISER

The Cumberland County Museum is selling 20-inch balsam fir wreaths for $25 each as a fundraiser.

The wreaths can be ordered through jiggity. ca or at cumbmuseum@gmail.com and available for pickup on Nov. 21 or 22. Orders of 10 or more will be delivered anywhere in Cumberland County at no charge.

The museum is coming through an eventful year. Due to COVID-19, the museum only saw a handful of visitors in 2020 and the organization switched to supporting the community. It collected more than 2,000 masks sewn by volunteers for the Cumberland Health Care Foundation and it has become a drop-off location for the food bank.

The museum has also partnered with the Amherst and Area Chamber of Commerce to help local businesses adapt to the changing retail landscape, while it took the year to reorganize, rejuvenate and restore the 180-year-old Grove Cottage.