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ESTEVAN — Even though it was a bit slower than the last couple of years, the Estevan Community Hamper Association still had a really busy season ahead of Christmas, as they were working to fill hundreds of holiday food packages for local families who may need a bit of extra support this year.

Char Seeman co-chairs the committee alongside Heather Woodhouse. Shelley Dayman, Jolie Bayda, Carry Curtis and Jackie McGillicky are the other members. Seeman said once they opened up for registrations and referrals for hampers, it was really busy, but then it became a bit quieter. They also were firm on their application deadline, which was Dec. 2 this year, so some people who missed it were redirected to the Salvation Army for support.

In the end, they received slightly fewer applications, but it could have been also due to some positive economic changes for some families.

After all, the association, with support from the community and help from Southern Plains Co-op, filled 279 hampers of various sizes.

Seeman said they took the best practices they came up with during the pandemic years, but also brought back some of the elements of their original Christmas Hamper program. The association covered the cost of groceries and the co-op filled hampers for them at no extra charge. Also, instead of doing a delivery, they asked the recipients to come and pick up their hampers between Dec. 21-23. 

"It just worked so much better," Seeman said.

The association was able to put a few items back that they had to cut last year. Seeman said they felt they had the funds to add a little more for the families.

"Other than that, everything else pretty much stayed the same," Seeman said.

Families were provided with anything they may need for a Christmas supper, as well as for a nice festive breakfast and a few items they may need in the following days.

"We added the cereal back in and some lunch meat for lunch. We added a few things back in," Seeman shared.

Hampers came in several sizes depending on how big the recipient families were, with extra small and small completed with chickens and other ones filled with turkeys. All other items were standardized and just scaled to meet the particular family's needs.

Seeman said they wouldn't be able to help so many people if not for the generosity of others, as the support was once again really strong.

"The support was amazing. Everything was really, really good. We didn't really have to go out to anybody.

"And the Pierson family asked that all the donations in memory of Mel [Melodye Pierson, a long-time volunteer and supporter of Estevan Community Hamper Association, who passed away early December] were towards us. So, I don't think we'll have any money worries that's for sure," Seeman said ahead of scheduled hamper pick up dates.