Just like the event itself, Anna Jacyszyn was a fixture at the Tiny Tim Charity Breakfast and toy drive for many years.
“It meant everything,” Jacyszyn said. “It set up the season for Christmas giving.”
The Kelowna, B.C., singer not only performed at the iconic Christmas event but also emceed it.
She said news of the event being cancelled was a big disappointment.
“I’m gutted, yeah, really sad,” she told Global News.
The 20-year-plus event had been hosted by the Coast Capri Hotel, but last week, the hotel announced it was cancelling the beloved toy drive and breakfast event.
While it gave no reason for pulling the plug, the Capri stated in a news release that the hotel will be “supporting the community in new and different ways this year and moving forward.”
The event drew hundreds of people every year with new toys in hand.
The toys would be handed over to the Salvation Army, which would then pass them on to families in need, who may otherwise not be able to put a gift under the tree for their children.
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“It would be devastating,” said Capt. Jennifer Henson of the Salvation Army Okanagan Central. “Why should a child in poverty not experience the joy of Christmas?”
While concerned, the Salvation Army is grateful to the Coast Capri Hotel for all those years of support.
“There definitely was a few moments of concern, wondering how we are going to make this happen but we are trusting our community is going to rally and come together to support everybody in need,” Henson told Global News.
The organization will be supporting some 1,000 families this Christmas season, a number that’s higher than last year.
“Our numbers just keep going up,” Henson said. “We keep thinking we’ve crested and no the number of folks reaching out for support keeps going up.”
The Salvation Army is hopeful toys will be donated this year despite the Tiny Tim breakfast now a thing of the past.
“The Salvation Army was one of the conduits for this huge giving and that is the thing when it stops so abruptly, you’re like, well, I still want to give,” Jacyszyn said.
New toy donations can be dropped off between now and Christmas at either the Salvation Army in Kelowna at 1480 Sutherland Ave. or in West Kelowna at 3531 Old Okanagan Highway.
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Salvation Army hopeful for donations amid cancellation of beloved Kelowna toy drive
