Parish council has considered a recent request from Operation Christmas Child to continue sponsoring access to the shoe boxes again this year. Given the increasing cost of participation (donors are expected to pay $10 per box in addition to the purchased contents) and the ready availability of these boxes in grocery stores (John’s Independent Grocer), council is suggesting that parishioners may wish to support local charities providing gifts to children instead.

Two certainly merit consideration: the Transition Society (625 England Ave, Courtenay, BC V9N 2N5, 250-897-0511) supporting abused women and their children; and Dawn-to-Dawn (Unit 6C-821 Shamrock Place, Comox, V9M 4G4, 250-941-2233) working with the homeless and those threatened with homelessness.