Volunteers
Jayne and Nick Loenen
Jayne and Nick have been an integral part of Canada Comforts since they read a newspaper clipping about Canada Comforts way back in 2000. Their home is a drop-off for many of our team. When I visited their B.C. lower mainland home, I found Nick’s large office crammed full of drop-off items. How he managed to get to his desk remains a mystery!! Their truck is absolutely full when they come to Victoria to visit family. They have done this for 25 years!!
Since Nick is a former MLA, he was the right one to offer to fill in all the legal papers it took for Canada Comforts to become a registered charity in 2008. I will always be grateful for his kindness in getting us through all the documentation. (Accountant, Deborah Hunt filled out the financial end so we were doubly blessed.)
Jayne’s leadership has been outstanding over the years and she has been a mentor for so many of our team. She also is a sharp shopper and can ‘sniff’ out a bargain better than anyone else I know. Jayne’s knitting is absolutely beautiful and she has helped and encouraged many to knit. Her love shines through particularly when she visits some of our team who are not very mobile.
Jayne and Nick are an inspiration for me and certainly help me to keep going.
This is a picture taken at Jayne and Nick’s summer home on the sunshine coast of BC. As you can see some of Jayne’s beautiful bears are uniquely displayed!
We rely on Jayne for her bears. They bring such comfort to traumatised children. Jayne knitted over 80 bears this summer, and at least 50 washcloths. Wash cloths are another item we can’t keep up to the requests we are given for them. I know she was ‘sniffing’ out bargains as well and will be adding 60 pillowcases to her list.
I’m sure it is fun to see those bears hanging on the wall!!
These are sturdy toy-cars that Nick has made this summer for toddlers and small children crawling around the floor having something to push with wheels. The wheels are the only moving parts. Nick uses scrap wood, he found on the beach or in the woods. His only expense has been ¼ inch dowel for axle and non-toxic linseed oil. It is important that the finish is non- toxic.
Nick has made 130 cars for the traumatised children. What a wonderful summer project!!
Sylvia Hatfield, Founder of the Canada Comforts Society
It is with great sadness that we, at Canada Comforts Society, announce the sudden passing of our long-time member, Freida Glass on December 22, 2024.
Freida worked tirelessly for 24 years for us. She made the bags that our teddy bears were tucked into for the children around the world. On average Freida would sew or crochet 6 blankets a week. If ever a special request came in Freida was always there to sew, be it an apron, a sling, receiving blankets or diapers! She will be missed every day at the workshop!
It was always a special treat when it was Freida’s turn for snacks at the workshop. She always brought at least two different kinds of treats she had made!
She will forever be remembered by us at the workshop for her elegance, her big smile and especially her high heels and the thousands of bags she sewed.
Please take a moment to remember Freida and her family in your prayers.
Linda comes to the workshop at Juan de Fuca Seniors Centre on Tuesdays where she helps sew baby tops with Roberta and Swanny. She made this wonderful fleece jacket and quilt.
Just a few of the volunteers that come to the Tuesday morning workshops at Juan de Fuca Seniors Centre.
Blankets
Thank you Linda Swain for another 15 beautiful quilted blankets.
Wash Cloths and Baby Bonnets
Thank you Barb for the wonderful donation of wash cloths and baby hats. Barb brought us 75 of each!
Creative teamwork in action!
Do you ever wonder what happens to those colourful banners that cities put up on their lamp posts? Well, the City of Langford, west of Victoria, thought that its retired street banners might be used for a charitable project. They contacted a local fabric store, The Cloth Castle, to see if they could use them. Maria at Cloth Castle talked to Sylvia at Canada Comforts, and Voila!... street banners were going to become backpack school bags!
The Owls sewing group took on the project with the first 10 banners donated, and made 24 beautiful, colourful and durable nylon bags. These bags were then given to Canada Comforts and donated to the Compassionate Resource Warehouse, to be filled with school supplies and sent out to countries requesting educational materials.
Canada Comforts has been given quite a few more banners to work with and the Owls plan to have another school bag sewing session in September. Next time you see a street banner, think about a child somewhere in the world, putting his schoolbooks in one!
Photo: Leta and Jennifer of the Owls displaying a banner and bags.