LANTZ: What started out as a way to put a smile on the face of a young girl some 17 years ago has turned into an enormous success year after year for the local food bank.
The 2020 Lantz Fire Santa Food Drive through subdivisions in the Municipality of East Hants community, held Dec. 11 with COVID19 public health measures in place was no different.
It all began when Kaia Knockwood was just one year old. Kaia’s parents, Stu Knockwood and Angie Hawryluk just wanted to put a smile on their daughters face at the Christmas time of the year.
That smile is still there, it’s only become bigger and this year was even more wide as she saw the amount of support the community provided the food drive, all in support of the Caring & Sharing Angel Tree Food Bank.
In all, the food drive filled 39 shopping carts at the Caring & Sharing Angel Tree Food bank in the Enfield Legions. There was also $200 in gift cards and $147 in cash donated.
Kensa Harris-Nockles, with Lantz Fire talked before the crew headed out about the night that was ahead of them.
“We’re collecting on behalf of the Caring & Sharing Angel Tree Food bank,” she said.
Stuart Knockwood, who continues to be involved in organizing the event yearly, spoke about the community partners that make it happen.
“It’s a two-fold thing. First, it’s bringing the Christmas spirit to the community of Lantz, and secondly, sharing again with the Municipality of East Hants of the food that is generously being donated for Caring & Sharing,” said Knockwood.
Harris-Nockles talked about the extra measures that had to be taken to comply with COVID19 public health guidelines, and how they managed to do that.
“We’ve been communicating with the community on social media asking them to place their donation at the end of their driveways, take a step back so we can minimize the physical contact and interaction,” said Harris-Nockles.
“We also told them that while Santa is joining us from the North Pole tonight, he will not be getting off the sleigh to get photos or checking in to see who has been naughty or nice.”
Firefighters walking along the route also had medical gloves on and face masks.
Santa even had a message for children who he saw along the route.
“Ho ho ho see you in 14 sleeps,” said the jolly old guy himself.
At one point he posed for a photo with Kaia, her parents, and a photo with all three. Plus of course, some kids on Spruce Lane as the trailer that was hauling him had some air put into a bum tire.
As the parade approached the driveways and streets that had families placing their bags of food to be picked up, with kids in tow the excitement in the kids faces was clear as Santa came by and waved.
This was no more evident then on Spruce Lane and Oakmount Drive where children’s enthusiasm couldn’t be contained as Santa gave them a hello.
And Kaia’s smile may have been bright enough it could have been the light that led Santa along the route all on its own.
In Belnan on Dec. 8, a toy and food drive put on by Rob and Kelly Bitar, and started many years ago, saw 17 shopping carts filled. It was also delivered to the Caring & Sharing Angel Tree Food Bank.
Santa says he will see all the children in Lantz and across the World on Dec. 25.
