Christine Whelan FEO, November 24, 2022, VOL. 4 ISSUE 7
In these challenging times, it is not just the organizations that are working hard to meet the needs of the community. People from all walks and occupations are coming forward.
A group of Fort Erie residents — friends and spouses — decided to start giving back to their community. Gary Hass shared this wonderfully inspiring story with me. It’s an ongoing affair as this is the group’s third year running this Christmas project.
It started with this group of friends who meet every Friday at The Plaice for dinner.
“It was around Christmas time,” Gary explained the first year. “We saw a big need. We jumped on it and wondered, what can we do? One of our group, George, used to own a store. Just by coincidence, he had a bunch of stuff in his trunk, old teddy bears and such.”
He continued, “And then two things aligned for us. There was a new family that came to Canada, I think it was December 23rd or 24th, and they had nothing. So, George said, I’ll go out to the car and get my stuff. He lined up all these teddy bears for these kids and they had the time of their lives.”
“The other thing that happened was, earlier that day, I’d been to Walmart in Fort Erie. And being a Fort Erie kid since I was four years old, I know all of the people who used to support the town when I was a Cub Scout and Air Cadet. Working professionally in town now, I see the people who used to lead. Some had husbands who are passed on and are now on a fixed pension. They can’t make ends meet.
“So, I was telling the group that I saw this lady, a leader in the town. We paid for some food and her meds.”
That was the first year. “It was just something we did as a group.”
The next year, they connected with a group at the racetrack. “We got them to do a collection amongst the workers in the back of the track. We said, if you raise some money, we will match you. We donated it all to COPE.”
COPE (Community Outreach Program Erie), located at 32 Dufferin Street, Fort Erie, was established in 1983 and has helped to alleviate the effects of poverty in the Greater Fort Erie area since that time.
Gary commented, “The people at COPE work very hard all year for our community. These days, even working people are having to go there because it is a very difficult time right now.”
Gary and his group went back to where it all started. “Then we talked to Lionel and Cynthia Pereira, the owners of The Plaice, and asked them if we could put a barrel with a cash box in their establishment.”
And it grew from there.
Bringing Milk To Families
“When we raised the funds, we bought COPE milk.”
Gary explained, “The thing that COPE has a hard time getting for people is nutritious stuff. We contacted Latcham PML in St. Catharines last year and they matched our funding. So, we donated 300 containers of milk last year.” Latcham PML is one of the few to make long shelf life milk.
“This year, we matched the funding with them and we’re going to be donating 508 containers of milk on December 15th to COPE.”
Enter, the Horse
“Fort Erie’s got a close connection to horses but most people have never seen one up close. We thought, wouldn’t it be nice to have some kind of contact with a horse and a Santa, where people can come with their families and their pets, to take a picture with Santa and a horse?
“Last year, we hooked up with Craig Spada’s daughter Lauren and she brought Frosty out. We had another successful campaign to raise funds for COPE. We’ve done this again this year.”
New On Board
“This is our third year this year. We’re making it a little grander.
“This year, Sneakers Beach Bar in Crystal Beach has come on board with us. We will put a barrel in Sneakers, too.”
This year, the numbers have gone up. The need has gone up, now coming out of the pandemic because of the economy and the overall situation.”
Hass added, “We’re lucky that Cynthia and Lionel at The Plaice have been so supportive of this.”
Frosty, The Christmas Horse
Frosty will be at The Plaice on December 10 all day.
“The kids can feed Frosty and a nice big carrot.” Gary added, “We will have Santa and Mrs. Claus there that day, too. Barb Butters, retired from Regional Council, will be Mrs. Claus. Her husband, Larry, will be Santa.”
When coming out to see Frosty and Santa, donations will be accepted. Cash donations and non-perishable items would be greatly appreciated. “With the donations of money, we find out what COPE needs and we go shopping for them.”
There will also be an eclectic collection of elves who, underneath the costumes, are community members who come from all different occupations and community services. You will find some of their first names in Frosty’s story.
“We generated a little Christmas story for the kids. Last year, when we were doing this event with Frosty, I got a text message from someone, telling us we needed a story to go with the event.
“We created this fictitious little story about Santa sending a horse down to Fort Erie’s COPE. The elves come to help.”
Next year they are hoping to create a colouring book from the story for the kids.
The Story of Frosty, “The Christmas Horse”
Santa, who lives at the North Pole, has a special friend. Frosty is Santa’s sleigh horse. Being his most reliable horse, Santa has sent Frosty with Ivan and Tom, The Irish Elf, to see us!
Santa wants everyone to be fed and warm. So, because he is busy getting ready for Christmas, Santa made Frosty an Official Christmas Horse. And Santa is sending him on his way to Fort Erie to help collect food for the people and COPE.
Frosty has, for years, been a close friend of Santa’s as he takes him all over the North Pole. Back at the North Pole, Rhonda, the Toy Shop Manager, was missing Frosty already.
Frosty loves visiting Ivan and The Irish Elf at the toy shop. There, they feed Frosty carrots and mints as he waits for Santa. They rub his nose and keep him warm.
Frosty is a gentle friend. They are great friends! They all want to help COPE help Fort Erie.
So, Santa sent them off to see Lionel the Elf and Cynthia at their Fort Erie workshop.
Santa sent the elves, Rhonda and Sue, to help. Elder Elf, George, was nearby and would help Lauren with carrots for Frosty. The townspeople came out to see Frosty. They brought donations to the food bank.
Santa and Mrs. Claus managed a visit and took pictures with the children. Santa and all the helpers were very happy to fill up the Food Bank’s shelves.
Frosty was a big hit and said he will come back each year.
COPE of Fort Erie was happy also.
“We wish to thank the owners of the many images that were used from the various internet sites. A special Thank You to Spada Racing, The Plaice, Larry and Barb Butters, all the elves, and the people who made Fort Erie a place to be proud of.
“The goal of this book is to keep the sense of community involvement alive in all.”
Support
Gary shared, “What has been amazing is, when we ask people for a little assistance when we are trying to promote it and grow the event, everyone’s there the best they can.
“Members of the Air Cadets, 337 Squadron, Fort Erie, are going to meet up with us in two days. On the first day, when we receive the milk. They will help to offload the truck for COPE. And they will be assisting us with Frosty the Christmas horse.
They have created a Tik Tok video to promote the event. To view it, contact Gary Hass through The Plaice
Visit Frosty, Santa, and the Missus, and check out the community members playing elves at The Plaice on December 10, all day.
Barrels are out now until December 20. To donate, go to The Plaice, 981 Garrison Road, Fort Erie, or Sneakers Beach Bar, 4020 Erie Road, Crystal Beach.
To contact Gary, you can leave a message at either drop-off location.
“Hopefully we will have more barrels in more locations next year.”
Photo submitted by Gary Hass
Photo with Frosty and friends 2021
