Helping to wheel a bright pink wagon full of toys through the upper lobby of the Pan Pacific Vancouver Hotel Tuesday morning, two-year old Kendall Sandhu was all smiles as she handed her treasures over to the volunteers waiting to accept her gifts.
Her mom, Parveen Sandhu, explained this was Kendall’s second year attending the Pan Pacific’s Christmas Wish Breakfast, during which anyone who delivers an unwrapped toy for the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau received a buffet breakfast in exchange. Sandhu says since she buys gifts all year long for the event, Kendall has learned that not every toy that comes into their home is for her.
“She put all the toys in the wagon herself. She brought more toys here than she’s getting for Christmas,” said Parveen, who attended the event with her husband Paul. “We’re going to bring her every year.”
Kendall’s generosity was in cute contrast to that of a little boy who, a few minutes later, cried as his mom took the soccer ball he was holding out of his hands to add to the growing mountain of donations, including toys, games, dolls, rocking horses, sports equipment, Lego, craft kits, scooters, stuffed animals, action figures and well, you name it. Volunteers from the Vancouver Fire Department stacked the toys into a two-storey high "tree" and then loaded them into trucks for transport to the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau warehouse, where they will be sorted and distributed to families in need.
This year’s event saw more than 5,000 attendees donate more than 22 tonnes of toys and several thousand dollars cash in just three hours.
"This is our biggest event of the year," said Chris Bayliss, executive director of the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau. "Because of the generosity of everyone who attended, we will be able to take care of thousands of families who wouldn't otherwise be able to celebrate Christmas."
Besides toys, more than 2,000 bikes were collected and donated by Dominion Lending Centres across the province.
"We are delighted to be involved in such a heartwarming and important event," said Gary Mauris, president and CEO of Dominion Lending Centres. "It’s become an important Christmas tradition for our company."
Executive chef Geoff Carkner and the Pan Pacific culinary team served up 18,000 eggs, 12,000 sausages, 450 pounds of hash browns, 6,000 croissants and 3,000 muffins. The crowd was entertained by the Joyful Singers from the Good Noise Gospel Choir and the entire event was broadcast live on Global TV and Rock 101.
"Pan Pacific Vancouver has been hosting this event for 29 years," said general manager Craig Norris-Jones. "It started off in 1987 with 25 guests and now our team serves breakfast to over 5,000 people each year.”
