While the local charities and non-profits that are funded by the KTW Christmas Cheer Fund change every two years, there is one organization that remains on the list in perpetuity.
It is the Y Women’s Emergency Shelter and its status as a legacy charity is at the request of Gregg Drinnan, the man who created the fund at the Kamloops Daily News before that newspaper closed in 2014 and the endeavour was picked up by Kamloops This Week.
Like most other local non-profits in 2020, the emergency shelter has had a challenging year due to the pandemic.
In order to follow the province’s physical-distancing guidelines, shelter staff were forced to reduce the number of people who stayed in their facility.
Thankfully, they were able to maintain their total capacity by finding other sites within the community to host families.
Shelter staff have seen an increase in the number of women and children’s being supported, particularly since July.
“With any crisis situation, there is an increase in a need of service for women experiencing violence,” said Michele Walker, general manager of violence against women intervention and support services at the Kamloops Community YMCA-YWCA.
She called this increase in violence the shadow side of the pandemic, as it often remains unseen.
Walker said that the shelter appreciates the money that comes from the KTW Christmas Cheer Fund as it arrives without any restrictions on its use, which means funds can be directed to wherever they are most needed in a given year.
One area they had to focus on earlier this year was in setting up families with tablets and cellphones during the time when the pandemic had school buildings closed and students learning remotely, as many of the families in the shelter didn’t have access to that technology.
“Being able to respond quickly to people’s needs is really fantastic for us to be able to do,” Walker said, which is exactly what the KTW Christmas Cheer Fund donations allows.
Walker expressed gratitude for the generosity of the Kamloops community, which has helped them to keep their operations running for years, and explained how when talking to service providers in other communities, people are always amazed at how supportive Kamloops is.
Walker expects this KTW Christmas Cheer Fund season to be no different.
“My instinct is telling me that supporting Christmas Cheer won’t be any less successful than it has been in other years,” she said.”
For more information on the Y Women’s Emergency Shelter, go online to kamloopsy.org and click on the Women’s Safety tab.

TO DONATE, GO ONLINE TO KAMLOOPSTHISWEEK.COM/CHEER OR DROP BY THE KTW OFFICE AT 1365B DALHOUSIE DR. IN SOUTHGATE (JUST SOUTH OF THE NOTRE DAME DRIVE/DALHOUSIE DRIVE INTERSECTION) WE ARE OPEN WEEKDAYS FROM 8 A.M. TO 4:30 P.M.
THANK YOU, DONORS!
Amy Berard: $25
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Anonymous: $50
Anonymous: $100
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Neil Sarrasin, in memory of Gordon Sarrasin: $100
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Canadian Tire: $200
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Caitlyn Winter, in memory of grandfather Walter: $50
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Anonymous $100