More than three weeks have passed since Christmas and the cards, tinsel and other holiday trappings have long been stored or recycled. But for a group of students at Coquitlam's Dr. Charles Best secondary school, tender feelings sparked by the century-old tradition of sending Christmas cards are keeping them warm even in cold, wet January.
They know, like few others of their generation, that Christmas cards still have a place in this technology-crazy world and that a hand-written message of love placed in an envelope and sent with a stamp can inspire hope and bring people together.
At least that's how it was for Anoop Virk, a Grade 12 student in Kristi Blakeway's Best Buddies Program. She was one of a number of students who tracked down relatives over the holidays and sent Christmas cards on behalf of homeless people staying at local temporary church shelters and living on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.
Virk was standing on a street corner at Main and Hastings, and reached down to pick up an article of clothing when she met Susan, a woman who seemed "a little bit out of it" on first glance but who broke down in tears when Virk offered to track down a family member so she could send a hand-made card.
"She was completely taken off guard," recalled Virk, who then told the woman: "I'm trained on 411 Canada [directory service], I can do it for you.
"She looked at me and her eyes, there was so much pain and she started crying," Virk said. The woman said: "Yeah, there is someone I would like to write to."
Between tears - by now, both were crying - Virk learned Susan had a seven-year-old son living in foster care whom she hadn't seen in three years for various reasons, including problems Susan had with drug addiction. "As a mother, she had so much pain," Virk said, "I could see it."
With little to go on but the caregiver's first name and place of employment, Virk tracked down the woman who was looking after Susan's son and sent off the card and a gift of Hot Wheels cars chosen by Virk's brother, who is also seven.
"On the card it said... it was like my Christmas wish is to see you or something like that," Virk said.
Fast forward to Christmas day and Virk was once again on Main and Hastings, this time with her brother, mom and dad. They were handing out socks and gloves they had bought each other instead of a gift, and Virk met Susan again but this time the older woman had a new look and attitude.
She looked happy instead of sad and withdrawn, and she wore a bright white scarf and purple sports jacket that made her look youthful. Virk almost didn't recognize her.
"She's like, 'Honestly, that day you gave me that hope and gave me a lot of inspiration because I was never going to do that, reach out,'" Virk recalled Susan saying before revealing that she contacted the caregiver and the two met and exchanged photos of the boy.
"It was so amazing, she was emphasizing that day made a big impact, that it happened for a reason."
Similar stories were shared by other participants in the HELLO program who spent several days during their Christmas holidays tracking down 85 people through Facebook and online phone directories so they could mail the Christmas cards that were made by Heritage Mountain and Coquitlam River elementary school students.
Selin Jessa, Grade 10, and another student who participated in the HELLO program, summed up the experience: "It felt like we were putting a family together."
dstrandberg@tricitynews.com
