MINDEMOYA—The Mindemoya United Church was bustling with the excited voices of young shoppers this weekend as the annual Kids Shop Free event saw children lined up out the door eager to take part.
The Kids Shop for Free event, which is open to children up to the age of 12, was the brainchild of beloved Mindemoya educator the late Marion Seabrook. At the event, children are able to ‘shop’ for gifts for their parents, grandparents and siblings without having to worry about having money in their pockets.
As each child reached the front of the line, volunteers recorded the names and ages of their siblings and received tickets that they could use instead of money when they selected their gifts. Other volunteers escorted the children through the tables piled high with donated gifts and helped them select the perfect gift while their parents enjoyed a nice hot cup of tea or coffee and a delicious cookie as they waited in the nearby kitchen for their children to finish shopping, while still other volunteers were kept busy wrapping the gifts in brightly coloured paper and tags.
“We’ve learned more and more every year,” said volunteer Tom McQuay. “When we first started we didn’t leave enough room for the wrappers to do their work. It takes more room than you would think.”
The Kids Shop Free event took place on December 12 at the Mindemoya United Church and ran from 11 am to 1 pm.
While there had been some skepticism voiced when Ms. Seabrook first broached the idea for the Kids Shop Free event to help children who would not have the money with which to purchase gifts for their brothers and sisters, the outpouring of support and donations have not only kept the popular and thriving, but ensured the popular idea would become a lasting legacy for that wonderful woman. The idea is also growing far beyond the bounds of Manitoulin Island, as the organizers have received inquiries from Sudbury and beyond as to how the event is organized and who it is that donates the gifts.
Mindemoya United Church.
One young shopper asked a volunteer “where do we pay?” The volunteer couldn’t help but smile when she replied, “Kids shop free.”
This year co-organizer Willie Munroe reported that there were 751 gift tickets given out during the event.
