Ernie and Janet Nial have seen a lot in their 20 years of volunteering at the Share toy donation bin at Coquitlam Centre — stress and panic, certainly, but also patience, gratitude and overwhelming generosity.
For two decades the couple has used two weeks of their annual holiday time to staff shifts at the Share donation booth. They started when their daughters were 10 and 13 and, over the years, got better at juggling their volunteer work in the busy days leading up to Christmas.
It never occurred to them to use those two weeks for a holiday instead, or to do anything but be at the mall at the peak of holiday shopping madness.
"It's amazing, the people that you meet," Janet said as she wiped away a tear. "Sometimes people come and say they used to get toys from Share as a kid, and now they've turned their lives around and they want to give back."
They see parents with young children, coaxing their little ones to the donation bin as they patiently explain the brand new toy is not for them but, instead, for other kids who aren't so fortunate.
They see how those early lessons resonate when teenagers drop off a donation, because it's what they did as little kids with their parents.
And they are struck with awe by those whose generosity defies comprehension, like the elderly man Ernie has twice seen deposit a $1,500 cheque in the box or the two women who donated $1,000 in mall gift cards, even though it looked like they needed it more, Janet said.
"It just reminds you that you should never judge people, and that you never know what's gone on in people's lives," she said.
Even the small gifts mean a great deal, the couple said, because whether the donation is a toy or money, every little bit helps.
"When you see the joy on the kids' faces," Janet said, "it makes it all worthwhile. It restores your faith in humanity."
• The Share toy donation bin and gift wrapping station are at Coquitlam Centre mall on the upper level (near the food court entrance). New, unwrapped toys (bring the bill for a tax receipt over $25) or monetary donations are welcome; items for youth and teens are particularly appreciated. Share also provides a list of gift suggestions for different age groups:
Newborn to age 2
Play Mats or Gyms
Ride-on Toys
Soft Blocks
Little People Playsets
Soft Dolls
Large Cars and Trucks
Fisher Price Playsets
V-Tech Learning Toys
Ages 3-5
Dress-up Clothing
Fisher Price Playsets
Hot Wheels Cars & Racing Tracks
Lego Sets
Playdoh Sets
Coloring Books & Crayons
Wooden Train Sets
Tea Sets
Kitchen Sets/Work Benches
Jr. Sports Equipment
Construction & Rescue Vehicles
Craft Sets
Super Heros
Leap Frog Learning Toys
Ages 6-8
Barbies Fashion Dolls
Jewelry Boxes
Hair Accessories
Dolls & Playsets
Coloring Books/Crayons
Dress-up clothing
Diaries
Pet Shops and playsets
Skateboards
Remote Control Cars
Action Figures
Building Sets
Hot Wheels Cars
& Race Tracks
Lego Sets
Walkie Talkie/Spy Gear
K-Nex
Transformers
Ages 9-12
Hair Accessories
Diaries
Jewelry Making Kits
Purse/wallets
Jewelry Boxes
Pajama pants
Jewelry Sets
Slippers
Craft/Art Sets
Monster High Dolls & Accessories
Clothing
Hex Bugs
CD Boombox
Hand-held Electronic Games
Skateboards/Scooters
Lego Sets
Remote Control Cars
Nerf Toys
Watches
K-Nex sets
Sports Equipment
Science Kits
Ages 13-17
Hair Accessories
Jewelry
Jewelry Boxes
Clothing (Sweatshirts/Hoodies)
Scarves
Headphones
Hair Straighteners
/Curling Irons
Fleece Blankets
Purses
Watches
Wallets
Lego Sets
Skateboards
CD Boombox
Movie Passes
MP3 players
Perfume/Cologne Sets
Ear Buds
Hair Dryers
Gloves
Backpacks
CD/Clock Radios
Pajama pants
iTunes gift cards
$25-$35 Gift Certificates to Coquitlam Centre
[email protected]
@spayenTC
