Kawartha-Haliburton Children's Foundation Helps Fulfill Kids' Christmas Wishlist Launching Santa's Sleigh

Children’s Christmas lists are getting checked and fulfilled through the Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation (KHCAS) 2023 Santa’s Sleigh Program launched at the Chemong Road Walmart on Thursday.

Bella Myers, 5, gets a ‘Merry Christmas’ from Santa Claus as several children got a visit from Father Christmas to give him their Christmas wishes. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The program is in conjunction with the Central Lakes Association of Realtors, East Peterborough Lions Club, 101.5 The Wolf, Global Peterborough and 100.5 Fresh Radio.

The program has 900 children involved in the foundation with gift requests written on tags and placed on a Christmas tree in Walmart. Shoppers can grab a tag, fulfill it and put it in a drop-in sleigh ion the store. The program runs until Dec. 4 at 1 p.m.

For the past 34 years, KHCAS’s Santa’s Sleigh Program has helped make the holidays brighter for local children and youth involved with the Kawartha Haliburton Children’s Aid Society.

“We are inviting the community to choose a child’s gift suggestion from our tree at Walmart, and then shop for that gift in order to fulfill the child’s holiday wish,” said Carrie Truman, KHCAS executive director. “The gifts will go directly to children in our community so that together we can put smiles on the faces of local children this holiday season.”

Presents, gift cards and monetary donations are being accepted during the program’s duration. Donated money is being used to purchase gifts and gift cards for children and youth involved with the KHCAS according to a press release.

Donors can make online monetary donations on the foundation’s website.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, Youtube and LinkedIn. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for our newsletter here.

Children’s Aid Society Creating Family Awareness With Dress Purple Day

Kawartha Haliburton Children's Aid Society (and others across Ontario) is raising awareness about the important role that individuals and communities play in supporting vulnerable children, youth and families through the provincial Dress Purple Day campaign on Friday.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE KAWARTHA-HALIBURTON CHILDREN’S AID SOCIETY.

“Dress Purple Day offers an opportunity to raise awareness that the Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Aid Society works together with many community organizations to help children, youth, and families facing challenges.” says Jennifer McLauchlan, Kawartha- Haliburton Children’s Aid Society executive director. “We are wearing purple today to show children, youth, and families that we care and are here to help.”

Dress Purple Day also reminds young people that they have rights to safety and well-being which goes beyond what we often think of when we use those words according to a press release.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, Youtube and LinkedIn. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for our newsletter here.

Send A Kid To Camp This Summer Through the AXE-travaganza Fundraising Event at the Peterborough Axe Club

The Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation is bringing back the Send a Kid to Camp AXE-travaganza fundraising event at the Peterborough Axe Club on May 5.

Carlo Raponi of the Peterborough Axe Club, Carrie Truman, Executive Director of the Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation and Kevan Herod of Herod Financial Services. photo courtesy of the Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation.

The Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation, in partnership with Herod Financial Services and supported by AON, Chemong Family Dental, KOMFS, Best Western Plus Otonabee Inn and Paris Marine, are bringing back this fundraising event with a goal to help 200 children involved with the Kawartha Haliburton Children’s Aid Society attend camp this summer.

“We are so excited to be able to bring this event back. This is our major fundraiser that allows us to provide the summer camp experience to children involved with the Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Aid Society.” says Carrie Truman, executive director of the Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation “The format of the evening is a family friendly axe throwing competition, along with food, a photo booth and a silent auction.”

2023 is the 40th anniversary of the Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation. Since 1983, Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation says they have expanded their scope of support, yet summer camps have remained a priority program. Over the past 40 years, the Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation reports they have sent over 5,340 kids to summer camp.

“Summer camp can offer disadvantaged children much more than a vacation. Camp is also an opportunity to connect with new friends, to meet and build relationships with caring adults and counsellors and to get outside and just be a kid,” said Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation in a press release. Our goal is to foster feelings of inclusion and belonging in children and build their self-confidence.”

Those participating in the Send a Kid to Camp AXE-travaganza can help ensure local, at-risk children have the opportunity to experience the joy of camp this summer.

There are two time slots of axe throwing, available May 5 from 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.-10 p.m. Tickets are available starting Monday for $50 per person and can be purchased online.

Event sponsorship opportunities are still available. Those interested can reach out to carrie@k-hchildrensfoundation.com to learn more. Online monetary donations directed towards the Summer Camp Program can be made online here.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

3rd Annual Santa's Sleigh Yields Over 900 Gifts For Children and Families

The Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation (KHCAS) has collected over 900 gifts for children and families in their 33rd annual Santa’s Sleigh program for the holiday season announced on Tuesday.

IRELAND REID, 6, TELLING SANTA CLAUS WHAT SHE WANTED FOR CHRISTMAS DURING THE LAUNCH OF SANTA’S SLEIGH AT WALMART. PHOTO BY DAVID TUAN BUI.

The gifts are for those affiliated with the Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Aid Society.

“So many individuals, workplaces and community groups came together to make sure a gift was purchased for every child on our tree, so they will each have a special gift to open this holiday season,” said Carrie Truman, KHCAS executive director. “I am so thankful for the support and generosity the community has provided for the Santa’s Sleigh program again this year.”

The event was held at Walmart (Chemong Road location) and ran from Nov. 24 to Dec. 5.

Children wrote their gift lists on cards to be hung on a Christmas tree at Walmart. Any customer could grab the card, purchase the gift and donate it in a dropbox.

Money, gift cards and presents not on wish lists are encouraged and accepted for the program as alternate ways to help.

Members of the Peterborough Lions Club, Peterborough and the Kawarthas Association of REALTORS and Corus Entertainment have volunteered to help add new cards to the tree and collect items from donors.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

Children's Gift Wishes Being Granted Through 33rd Annual Santa's Sleigh Program

The Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation (KHCAS) has launched its 33rd annual Santa’s Sleigh program encouraging the community to grant 850 children’s Christmas wish lists at Walmart (Chemong location) announced Thursday.

Ireland Reid, 6, telling Santa Claus what she wanted for Christmas during the launch of Santa’s Sleigh at Walmart. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The children affiliated with the charity wrote their gift lists on cards to be hung on a Christmas tree at Walmart. Anyone can grab the card, purchase the gift and donate it in a dropbox shaped like Santa’s sleigh.

Money, gift cards and presents not on wish lists are encouraged and accepted for the program as alternate ways to help.

"They (the children) have to be involved in the local Children's Aid Society and so they would have been referred there because there is something going on in their family that they need help with so the Children's Aid Society is involved and trying to help that family and we wanted to give themselves a boost this Christmas,” said Carrie Truman, KHCAS executive director.

The campaign runs from Nov. 24 to Dec. 5 at noon at Walmart (Chemong Road location).

Members of the Peterborough Lions Club, Peterborough and the Kawarthas Association of REALTORS and Corus Entertainment have volunteered to help add new cards to the tree and collect items from donors.

Click here to make an online monetary donation to the charity.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

Santa's Sleigh Program Distributes Over 850 Gifts To Kids and Families For the Holidays

After 11 days of getting the community to grant kids’ Christmas wishes, the Kawartha Haliburton Children’s Foundation’s (KHCF) Santa’s Sleigh program has given over 850 gifts announced on Monday.

During last year’s campaign, the program ran under different conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic and could not do their traditional sleigh drive. Photo By David Tuan Bui.

The foundation collected gift cards, money and toys for children, youth and families. The campaign collected wishlist cards from kids, placed them on a tree in Walmart (Chemong location) and had the community shop for the items to be donated.

“I am overwhelmed with the generosity, and thankful for the support the community has shown for the Santa’s Sleigh program this year” said Carrie Truman, KHCAS executive director. “So many individuals, workplaces and community groups came together to make sure every name on our tree was picked, and everyone will have a special gift to open this holiday season.”

The campaign ran from Nov. 25 to Dec. 6 and has run for the past 32 years.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

Local Charity Granting Children's Gift Wishes Through Santa's Sleigh Program

The Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation (KHCAS) has launched their Santa’s Sleigh program encouraging the community to donate gifts on children’s wish lists at Walmart (Chemong location) announced Thursday.

In 2019, $50,000 in gifts were donated by the community for roughly 1,200 children and teens. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The supported children of the charity wrote their gift list on cards and hung it on a tree at Walmart. Anyone can grab the card, purchase the gift and donate it in a dropbox shaped like Santa’s sleigh.

Money, gift cards and presents not on wish lists are encouraged and accepted for the program as alternate ways to help.

"There are lots of kids in need of gift cards especially some of the older kids involved with the Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Aid Society,” said Carrie Truman, KHCAS executive director. “You can donate those gift cards monetary donations at the sleigh or you can make a donation online at our foundation website. This gift will go directly to the child in our community so that together we can put a smile on their face Christmas morning.”

KHCAS has been running the Santa’s Sleigh program for the past 32 years. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

During the 2020 campaign, the program ran under different conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic and could not do their traditional sleigh drive. Local realtors had donated money through the REALTORS Care Foundation to ensure gifts were given to all the children last year.

"We are so excited to be back here this year,” exclaimed Truman. “We were just doing gift cards but people have been phoning me and asking if we're going to be back so I know that the community is excited to be buying physical gifts for the kids involved with the society.”

The tree with the wish lists is set up at the Home & Pharmacy entrance of Walmart on Chemong Road. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Click here to make an online monetary donation to the charity.

The campaign will run from Nov. 25 to Dec. 6 at noon at Walmart (Chemong location).

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

PTBOCanada Donates Sign Wars Funds to Children's Foundation

The Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation (KHCF) received a cheque of $6,360 from PTBOCanada on Thursday morning.

Deb Aben (left) recieves the cheque of $6,360 from PTBOCanada owner Kirtus Evoy (middle) and Pete Dalliday (right). Photo by David Tuan Bui

The funds came from the Peterborough Sign Wars campaign PTBOCanada ran in late April, selling “Meet me in Aisle 15” t-shirts.

The PTBOCanada team including owner Kirtus Evoy, Fresh Radio 100.5’s Pete Dalliday and editor David Tuan Bui arrived at the charity to donate the proceeds.

Fresh Radio and The Wolf were one of several businesses that were highly active in the #PTBOSignWars. File Photo.

Deb Aben, Executive Producer of KHCF was there to accept the money on behalf of the charity and could not be happier to receive the donation.

“When the call came through was just so thrilled that it’s going towards helping kids who are in need of our community,” said “It’s going to make a huge difference this summer.”

“It was amazing to see the community come together over a quick period handing out thousands of smiles through the sign wars and raise money for a great cause,” said Evoy. “I’m proud to be part of an amazing community.”

KHCF sends kinds either for one or two weeks of summer camp every year with the exception of last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The money will go towards sending kids to summer camp and their “Soaking Up Summer” program. Developed last year, the program purchased athletic equipment, toys or anything designed for kids to play outside and be active. The campaign was created as an alternative to sending kids to day camp due to the pandemic.

“I felt I’d won the lottery,” said Aben. “How lucky these kids are to be the beneficiaries of something that engaged the community and made us smile, laugh and made us feel like a kid again.”

KHCF supports children in activities that are not government funded, provides money for families newly caring for extended family members, post-secondary bursaries and gift cards for youth transitioning to independent living who were formerly in youth care.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

Let's Fill Santa's Sleigh To Help Local Children

Kawartha-Haliburton Children's Foundation is once again helping our local children have a joyous Christmas by asking for the donation of toys to their Santa's Sleigh located at the entrance of Walmart on Chemong.

When donating, you are able to pick the name of a child in need from the list and then proceed to donate the item that they have asked Santa to bring them this year.  

For more details, contact Claire Demary at 705.761.7281.

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Julie Morris]

Tip us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter @Ptbo_Canada.