Christmas Cheer Fund: It’s not how you start — it’s how you finish!

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Have you ever encountered a situation where, in the beginning, things started out gloomy with little expectation that they were going to work out the way you hoped they would?

Of course you have. We all have.

We’ve all got off to a bad start with some endeavour. We’ve all had that distinct fear that things wouldn’t pan out.

But when you’ve been in that situation, how many times have things wound up working out better than you thought they would? That’s probably happened more times than you can remember.

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Those of us involved with the Regina Leader-Post experienced that this year.

Just as we launched this year’s Christmas Cheer Fund campaign, we were hit with the mail strike that made it more difficult for people to donate in their traditional manner to Regina’s four area women’s shelters: the WISH Safe House, Regina Transition House, YWCA’s Isabel Johnson Shelter and SOFIA House.

So when donations started as a mere trickle, we (well, mostly me — the ever pessimistic columnist), assumed the worst. I guess I should have known better. I guess I should have had a little more faith in the well-established generosity of Saskatchewan people.

The grand total for 2024-25 Regina Leader-Post Christmas Cheer Fund is in and (drum roll, please) it’s $162,528.81.

That means $40,632.20 for each of the four shelters.

It’s not where you start: It’s where you finish.

Final donations of $50 from Eileen Hinkley and Delores Dreher $75 helped us reach a level of support we haven’t achieved since 2017-18.

Donors did mail in their cheques. And they donated online like never before.

This year’s total is well in excess of our 2023-24 campaign total of $142,868.05 — money that will help the women and children in need of shelter get a fresh start.

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Like the Cheer Fund itself, it’s also a case of “it’s not where you start, it’s where you finish” for these women. Thanks to your generosity, they can have a chance at finishing in a better place.

So all that’s left for this year is to say thank you.

Thank you to the women and children who shared their stories. It was a pleasure meeting all of you.

Thank you to the leadership at the four shelters and thanks so much to all those who toil anonymously at this difficult and often-thankless work.

Thanks to former sports editor and former Cheer Fund writer Rob Vanstone for all his help with story ideas. Thank you to editors Jennifer Ackerman and Greg Harder for ensuring these stories made sense.

Special thanks to Leader-Post marketing guru Brenda Indzeoski who toils tirelessly behind the scenes each year to make the Cheer Fund happen and hates when anyone makes a fuss over her great work.

But mostly, thanks to you — all of you who donated.

Your kindness and generosity today made life better for some people — people that surely deserve a break in life.

And thanks from this old pessimistic writer, who you made a believer again.

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You reminded me that not all stories that start out bad have to have a bad ending.

Thank you so much.

The Leader-Post would like to thank and acknowledge these donors, not previously acknowledged in print:

Eileen Hinkley $50

Delores Dreher $75

BenefAction Foundation $600

Leonard and Jeannette Shotter (in memory of Leonard Shotter) $50

Linda and Brett Klevgaard (in memory of Denis and Lois Robb, Gladys Code and Sue Nyquist) $50

Christie Mechanical Ltd. $1,000

Doug and Jacqueline Renwick $150

Shinmura, Toshiji and Linda Household $200

Mr. Gordon and Sonia Wilkie (in memory of Allen Robbins) $100

Mr. Hilliard and Mrs. Dawn Radford $100

Johanna Deglau $25

Robert Donald (in memory of Kathy Donald) $100

Karen Hack (in lieu of Christmas gifts) $100

S. Cogger (in honour of Anita Toews) $50

Mary Beth Nicks-Barbour $100

Marlene Shier (in memory of Adam and Ameila Herald) $50

Mom, Dad & Nathan (in memory of Dylon Piper) $250

Wallin Household $200

Lorraine Ulmer $25

Linda Royan (in memory of Frank and Madge Dickson) $200

Marie Bens $100

Anonymous (in memory of Jack & Em Wiens and Howard & Ruth Machin, from their families) $1,000

East Regina Fit Body Boot Camp $400

North Regina Fit Body Boot Camp $410

Gayle Barnsley $100

Deb Love (in memory of the one and only Rob Love) $250

Dan and Karen Folk (in memory of Steven Folk) $300

Jim Hall (in memory of Janet Hone and Marilyn Willimott) $100

Cheryl Barber (in memory of Bill Hyde) $100

Anonymous $1,745

2024-25 grand total: $162,528.81.

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