Longtime Santas Anonymous volunteer reflects on toy drive’s impact ahead of Wrap Day

Roxanne Brown has donated gifts and her time to 980 CJME’s Santas Anonymous for more than two decades.

The Regina woman first got involved with the toy drive in 1998 during her time with Scouts Canada as a Beaver leader, and it has become her family’s Christmas tradition ever since.

“We just continued on,” Brown said. “I left Scouts, but I had a son and our son was involved with it. Along came a niece and a nephew who got involved with it, and — as long as the kids wanted to keep going — we just kept going.

“The son has moved on and has his own family now (and) the niece and nephew have both graduated, but they’re still knocking on my door every year saying, ‘When is Wrap Day? We need to book time off work.’ ”

After the donation bins are collected and the toys are sorted, more than 100 volunteers pack into the Regina Food Bank to wrap them.

“It’s just one of the best days of the year — and it’s the one I look forward to most getting into Christmas,” Brown said, adding that watching youngsters’ reactions is largely what makes it great.

“The kids love going and doing it because it’s a way for them to share that joy in making sure another kid gets a really cool gift — for them, that’s the big part.”

Over the years, the Browns have added their own special touch to each gift they wrap, adding unique labels and ornaments to every package — on top of a little bundle of goodies.

“We include a pen, a pencil, an eraser, a candy cane, a pair of mitts and a glow stick — and that’s just for the fun of it,” Brown said with a chuckle. “It’s the time of year after school has started; the kids have run out of supplies at school, they’ve lost every pair of mitts they ever had … so we tag on a bit extra for each child.”

While she has never met anyone who has received presents through 980 CJME’s Santas Anonymous, Brown said she imagines the impact each toy can have Christmas morning.

“I know that those kids are going to wake up with a smile on their face, and it might very well be the one and only Christmas they remember. And I’m hoping that the one they remember is a good one. That’s the point you’re trying to make — you’re trying to make it good for them. It’s not for me, it’s for them,” she explained through tears.

“I think in today’s world, we all have a lot — a lot more than we need sometimes — and I think that it’s important that we do something that’s outside of our own selves.”

The 50th annual 980 CJME’s Santas Anonymous Wrap Day starts Saturday at 8 a.m., in the Regina Food Bank.