Share the Spirit coordinator June Reynolds prepares a Christmas package for a family sponsored by inmates from the Okanagan Correctional Centre. Inmates donated their own money to buy gifts and necessities for the needy family. This year the program is assisting nearly 40 families. (Lyonel Doherty photo)
By Lyonel Doherty
Special to the Times
Inmates at Okanagan Correctional Centre are not letting their circumstances interfere with their goodwill this Christmas.
A number of inmates (and correctional officers) have sponsored a couple of needy families through the “Share the Spirit” program run by the Kiwanis Club of Oliver.
The program sees individuals and businesses sign up to “adopt” families in Oliver that need help at Christmas time.
The meeting room in the air cadet hangar on Cessna Street fills up fast as donations of food and gifts pour in.
Kiwanis members Lee Chic and June Reynolds look like Santa’s little elves at the table, busily wrapping toys for children.
“I feel really good. It’s really rewarding because when our drivers deliver the stuff they come back and say these people really needed this.”
The program coordinator noted that 39 families have been sponsored this year, compared to 44 last year.
She said families are asking for toys, books, arts and craft supplies, bedding and cleaning products.
“We couldn’t figure out why they were asking for cleaning supplies. A lot of these families have a choice between buying food and buying cleaning supplies, so they buy food. That’s why we get requests for cleaning supplies.”
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What has really touched Reynolds this year is the fact that prison inmates have shown the true spirit of Christmas. She said they donated their own money to buy the gifts. They also wrapped them personally.
“We asked what prompted them to do this, and they said ‘this was us when we were young.’ I thought that was heartbreaking. A lot of those inmates had a tough, tough childhood.”
The inmates were matched with a local mom and her young son. They bought the family bed sheets, a hair straightener, tea kettle, cooking utensils, clothing, gift cards for food, Lego and a hand-held video game system. They even made the family some couch covers.
“One fellow only had 35 cents. He said if he had more, he would have given it. That’s all he had left,” Reynolds noted.
She said the OCC has a nice rehabilitation program involving horses, and many of them learn work skills, too.
“To me it’s far better to rehabilitate people than lock them in a cell.”
Reynolds agreed that being involved in “Share the Spirit” is rehabilitation in itself for the inmates.
“They feel good about what they’re doing.”
