Tuesday 9 December 2014

Spreading Christmas Cheer during this Festive Season
   To end off our term the Vinnies created bereavement cards for a member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul whose husband had just died. It reminded us that although Christmas is a season that is full of joy, it can also be a very sad or difficult time of the year for many people. The Vinnies each came up with a list of ideas that they could do this Christmas season to help spread Christmas cheer especially for people who will be finding Christmas hard. Their lists included:
       * Helping other people
       * Helping my next door neighbour with his rubbish bin
       * Donating things to the SPCA, Salvation Army or St. Vincent de Paul Centres
       * Giving a nice smile to people
       * Wishing people a Merry Christmas
       * Being generous
       * Thinking about others
       * Inviting my neighbour to a local park as a Christmas get together
       * Making homemade baking for someone else
       * Creating homemade presents
       * Sharing my talents by doing a free come-along show
       * Donating presents to children who might not otherwise be getting anything such as games
       * Doing some baking for the elderly
       * Donating food to the foodbank

       * Creating cards for people in need of Christmas cheer.
Craft Kits for the Children of the Loaves and Fishes Afterschool Programme
   Throughout 2014, the St. Joseph Vinnies have been supporting the children of the Loaves and Fishes Afterschool programme from organising Easter treats for the children at Easter to putting together activity packs to keep the children entertained during the holidays (especially those that had been affected by the flooding in Nelson in which home was a mess). To end off the year the St. Joseph Vinnies created Christmas cards for the children which were put with craft kits containing all the items the children would need to make things such as elephants that squirt water, pecking chickens, spinning tops and brooches.
   The Vinnies also came up with a list of ideas that young people can enjoy doing over Summer that costs next to nothing to enjoy. Our list included:
    *  Going to the beach and having a picnic
    *  Going to a local park and playing games with friends or to play on the playground
    *  Drawing
    *  Enjoying play dates
    *  Taking the dog for a walk
    *  Playing a family game

   The list reminded us that you don't need to have lots of money to still have fun. 
Poppies for Nelson Poppy Project
   As part of the St. Joseph Vinnies activities this term, the Vinnies created a red felt poppy each to contribute towards the Nelson Poppy Project, a project that is collecting many hundreds of poppies to create a huge banner of poppies that will be on display in the Nelson Cathedral as part of ANZAC day commemorations in 2015. Over 1800 poppies have now been contributed by members of the public to this project which will be attached to the banners at a session set aside for this mammoth task at Founders in early February.