Connie Osachoff (left) and her friend Donna Dodds have organized the third annual Osoyoos Christmas Pyjama Drive. Local residents can purchase pyjamas and drop them off in the lobby of the Cactus Ridge retirement village beginning Nov. 15 and continuing until Dec. 15. (Keith Lacey photo)
There will be smiles on the faces of dozens of children once again this Christmas thanks to the third annual Osoyoos Christmas Pyjama Drive.
Two years ago, Connie Osachoff started the pyjama drive as she fondly remembered her days as a little girl growing up in a small town in Saskatchewan and how she would receive a nice pair of pyjamas every Christmas from her favourite aunt.
“My aunt Florence was a seamstress and every Christmas a beautiful little package would arrive in the mail,” said Osachoff. “She sent me a new pair of pyjamas every year when I was a little girl and it was one of the things I looked forward to every Christmas.”
For the past two years, Osachoff has asked local residents to purchase a pair of pyjamas, which are then forwarded to children in need through School District 53.
Last year, residents in and around Osoyoos donated a total of 124 pairs of pyjamas, said Osachoff.
“The response to the pyjama drive has been fantastic and I can’t thank the local residents enough for their support,” she said. “Last year, I had people coming up to me asking where they could drop them off and it’s already started again this year.”
Those wishing to participate can purchase a pair of pyjamas and drop them off at a bin that will be placed in the main entrance at the Cactus Ridge retirement village starting Nov. 15.
Pyjamas will be collected until Dec. 15 and then delivered to the School District 53 office in Oliver, where they will be distributed to children from across the region, said Osachoff.
The support of Marieze Tarr, chair of the board of trustees with School District 53, has been remarkable the past two years, said Osachoff.
“My job is to get the donations going and then the school district decides where the pyjamas will go,” she said.
Osachoff is being assisted with this year’s pyjama drive by Donna Dodds, who recently moved to Osoyoos, and like Osachoff, lives at Cactus Ridge.
Osachoff also wanted to thank Cactus Ridge management for their support in this community program.
Osachoff is confident there will be great response once again and she’s thrilled there has been such great local support for the pyjama drive.
“This is just my small way of trying to make a difference,” she said. “I have so many mothers coming up to me and saying thanks and that they don’t have a lot for their kids at Christmas, but at least they will have a new pair of pyjamas and that means a lot to them.”
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
