Breakfast was served with a side of community spirit on Tuesday morning at the second annual Children’s Wish Breakfast in Langley.
People of all ages dropped off gifts and donations for the Langley Christmas Bureau in exchange for a complimentary breakfast served by Newlands Golf & Country Club staff.
For one grandmother, the breakfast provided a good learning opportunity.
Sharon Rajala enjoyed a meal with her grandkids to “open their eyes to what’s going on in their community.”
“We wanted to give the grandchildren the idea that they give, and not always receive.”
Another guest, Michelle Stephen, also brought her two children for a “learning lesson.”
“It showed them to give a gift to another child in the community. I thought it’d be a good learning lesson for them, and to celebrate the holidays as well.”
While the community enjoyed the pancakes and bacon, Santa and Mrs. Claus were dropped off in an RCMP helicopter, entertainers performed holiday songs, kids played in a snow machine, the Langley City firefighters and Mounties helped pack gifts, Sky Helicopters long-lined a crate of gifts in, and volunteers kept everything running smoothly.
Last year’s event drew roughly a thousand guests, according to Newlands general manager Vonda Dickman.
“We’re blown away by the response this year. Last year we had roughly 1,000 people here and I’m thinking we have at least a couple thousand [this year]. We’re really blown away by the generosity of the Langley community and the Lower Mainland. It’s going to mean so much to the Christmas bureau.”
READ MORE: First Children’s Wish Breakfast in Langley City a success
Dickman said the final number of attendees, gifts, and donations will be announced once the Christmas Bureau packs up all the gifts.
“I’m easily saying we’re doubling [guests] this year.”
And with more people, comes more donations.
“It’s absolutely exceeding last year,” Dickman added.
“We don’t have enough room for all the toys that were brought in.”
Newlands’ co-owner Judy Davies was inspired to launch the event after attending the Christmas Wish Breakfast at the Pan Pacific in Vancouver for years.
Guest Linda Marconato attended this year for the first time, and was pleased to see a similar event in her Langley community.
“It’s so nice to see this kind of event outside downtown Vancouver, so we can actually participate as well. The energy is fabulous. It’s a great way to pull the community together.”
Last year’s breakfast collected 1,200 gifts, and raised $4,000.
