On Christmas Eve, most children will be writing letters to Santa or dreaming about their gifts, but for one Port Coquitlam girl, the upcoming holiday will be a time to give gifts to others.
Kyra Gregory-Cole has a wish to make the holidays brighter for men and women facing tough times on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and she’s calling on the community for help.
“It’s been a big part of my Christmas tradition, it’s what makes me feel special,” Kyra told the Tri-City News this week.
This is the seventh year the Kwayhquitlum middle school girl has been raising donations for warm clothes, toiletries and other gifts for the less fortunate and this year the gifts will be distributed on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
Kyra has set up a GoFundMe.com page and is hoping to raise $1,000 or more over the next several days.
She’s hopeful she will achieve her goal.
“Last year we raised $1,500 and we had 2,000 items,” she recalled.
The fundraising project began when Kyra was five years old after a driving through the Main and Hastings area of downtown Vancouver. She remembers seeing people who looked as if they didn’t have money, friends, love or support.
She wanted to make a difference in their lives and so the Christmas Wish project began.
“I felt they needed something to make them happy and feel loved. I made a pact to myself to go down and give out snacks, and things for their dogs, and scarves and mittens.”
Giving out the gifts is the best part of her holiday and Kyra isn’t overwhelmed by all the people in need who come to her for help.
Instead, she feels like she is doing her little bit to make the world a better place.
“It’s just become part of my life, I think I’m going to do it for a very long time.”
