The Community Press has officially launched its Fill the Tree fundraising campaign for 2025, with all money raised going once again to the Flagstaff Christmas Sharing program, administered by the Flagstaff Food Bank.
What started out as a small front counter campaign decades ago, has grown into a major fundraiser for Caribou Publishing newspapers. Each paper raises funds for its own unique food bank, which benefits hundreds in Beaver, Flagstaff, and Lamont Counties.
Last Christmas season, despite the near month-long challenges caused by the Canada Post strike and many of the usual mailed donations not coming in, $8,600 was still raised. Just short of the all-time record of $10,910.
The total amount raised from all Caribou papers combined exceeded $30,000 for the first time ever.
This season, with food banks low on supplies, the goal is to match or exceed that amount.
For every donation, no matter the amount (the recommended minimum is $5, but no donation is turned away), donors get their names on the tree (which we have at our front counter in Killam as well as printed in the paper each week).
As every week passes, the number of names grows, and so does the amount of money raised for Christmas Sharing.
Additionally, if you bring canned or boxed food donations for the food bank to The Community Press office in Killam (Open Monday through Friday), you will also be able to add your name or the name of a loved one to the tree.
“Year after year, our readers amaze us with their generosity,” said Eric Anderson, Community Press Publisher.
“We know times are tough for many Canadian families and there’s never more pressure than during the holidays,” Anderson said.
“Anything that any of us can do to help can go a long way.”
Donations are being accepted at The Community Press office. Cheques can also be mailed to Box 178, Killam, AB; T0B 2L0 and made payable to ‘Flagstaff Christmas Sharing.’
“We don’t keep a cent and we don’t pay ourselves. Everything you give gets passed along. All the promotion and time is our own, and it’s our pleasure to help our communities in this way,” Anderson said.
