Breakfast provides a Decade of Hope
WINNIPEG, MB – A Decade of Hope, it’s not just an event theme, it’s something The Salvation Army in Winnipeg are proud of and shared with the city at large at the 10th annual Hope in the City breakfast. Over four hundred and thirty guests packed the RBC Convention Centre, this past Wednesday, to hear about children, women, and men’s lives touched and changed by The Salvation Army.
Keynote speaker for this year’s breakfast was Alvin Murdock, a former participant of Midnight Challenge, a floor hockey program that aims to provide an alternative choice to negative lifestyles. Alvin spoke about how his stepfather told him to reach out to The Salvation Army so he wouldn’t follow in his footsteps and end up in prison.
The excitement in his voice, even years after, was palpable as Alvin told the story of his first night attending the ‘Midnight Challenge’ program and how he felt when he’d scored his first goal. The change in his life was nearly immediate, a shift in his way of thinking about his situation, and all because of a hockey program away from the limelight in a red-roofed building in Winnipeg’s inner city.
“It’s amazing how something as simple as a hockey game can make such a difference to a person,” said one guest of Alvin’s story.
Gord Leclerc and Maralee Caruso, returning hosts of the breakfast, shared with those assembled how excited they were about Bell Media’s partnership with The Salvation Army and the opportunity it provides to put a smile on a child’s face this Christmas via the Toy Mountain campaign.
Jason Floyde, of Scotiabank, presented a cheque in support of their long-standing corporate collaboration and commitment with the annual toy campaign. Members of the public were invited to make donations of new, unwrapped toys at any Scotiabank location in Winnipeg or Selkirk, Winnipeg Fire Stations, Police Stations, or The Salvation Army Thrift Stores.
Winnipeg Jets fans were also invited to bring a toy to the December 16 game at the MTS Centre against the Buffalo Sabres. The Salvation Army Christmas Brass Band will be on hand to perform the anthems alongside Stacy Nattress before the puck drop.
You can make your own contribution to changing a child’s life in Winnipeg, by making a donation here at ToyMountain.ca or bring a new, unwrapped toy to any of our Toy Mountain drop-off locations or events.
The annual Christmas Kettle Campaign was launched as well with Premier Greg Selinger making the first donation. This year the kettle campaign aims to raise $351,000 from the 29 kettle locations around Winnipeg. Funds raised from the kettles directly support programs and services within the city to help give hope and dignity year-round to Winnipeggers in need.
Pleased with another successful year, the event coordinator, Tsungai Muvingi said, “I am really excited that we had over 430 guests at the breakfast this year. It was a wonderful opportunity for us to thank our partners and supporters without whom we could not achieve all we do. The goal of the breakfast was to share what are doing in the community and we were able to do so with an amazing speaker who has experienced first hand the work of The Salvation Army. I am looking forward to continuing to grow the breakfast and my hope is to have at least 500 guests next year.”
Visit www.fillthekettle.com, or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY.
Featured photo: Alvin Murdock, Guest Speaker
Photo: The Salvation Army Christmas Kettles
Photo: Event Coordinator Tsungai Muvingi with CTV’s Karen Rocznik with Toy Mountain donations