“The community has been very generous in donating all their items that they didn't need from last year, and so we have more than enough.... We decided to throw a Christmas in July [sale], and so far, it's going pretty well.”
This is how Steve Chaboyer, a community support worker for Adult & Teen Challenge in the Pembina Valley, describes the organization’s most recent event at its Super Thrift store.
More than Christmas items
In addition to a sidewalk sale from July 18th to 19th with all the holiday items that make the season bright, the organization has also been connecting with the community by offering free hot dogs.
For anyone who missed the free meal on Friday, a free hot dog giveaway will also be available between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. today.
Supporting Pembina Valley residents
According to Chaboyer, the proceeds from the Christmas in July sale (and Super Thrift in general) will support Adult & Teen Challenge.
“Everything that ... gets sold at our thrift stores and all the donations ... go back into programming helping people get set free from addictions,” he said.
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For Derek Neufeld, a member of the development team at Adult & Teen Challenge, the Christmas in July event and the opportunity to bond with the community wouldn’t have been possible without the support of sponsors.
“Shout out to three notable mentions — Gardenland Co-op, Sun Valley Tire, and Sirius Marketing," he said. "Those three have been really great supporters, and they help contribute so that we're able to execute something like this and give out some hot dogs to community members.”
An open invitation
In the end, Chaboyer said that his favourite part of being involved in Adult & Teen Challenge events like the Christmas in July sale is engaging with the people in the community.
Accordingly, he encourages everyone to stop by for a hello and a hot dog.
With files from Mikaela Warkentin
