Good giving

Terrace is a better place because of people like nine-year-old Kyle Spankie.
He’s the Grade 3 student who asked his friends and family to donate to the Terrace Anti-Poverty Group Society instead of bringing presents to his birthday party last month.
His initiative resulted in $210 worth of Christmas gifts being bought for needy children in our community over the holidays.
What’s even more heartening is that Kyle is one of many people in our community who give generously to all sorts of important causes.
Look how Terrace responded to news that baby Jenna Parkes would need a heart transplant. She’s spent most of her five months of life hooked up to machines and monitors and living in a hospital. Her family has had to be away from home to be with her while bills here continue to mount. Family and friends organized a garage sale, McDonald’s put out coin collection boxes in its two Terrace outlets, a church raised money, friends organized a raffle with assistance from the Kin Club of Terrace and the list goes on.
Jenna’s parents Ian and Nancy Parkes are completely overwhelmed by the generosity and kindness they’ve been shown not just from friends and family but from the entire community of Terrace.
And what about Vesta Douglas? One of Terrace’s two freemen, Mrs. Douglas has been quietly doling out her and her husband Doug’s life savings to more than 30 different community groups in Terrace over the past few years.
Children at the Child Development Centre have new learning tools and specialized hydrotherapy equipment, the library has purchased more than 100 books for children and fire departments have been given money earmarked to buy special equipment.
Every bit of spare change that is dropped into a jar for a good cause and every raffle ticket that is purchased makes our community a better place.
The spirit of giving and helping one another is strong in Terrace. It’s one of the many reasons this is such a terrific place to live.
Not everyone can be a Kyle Spankie or a Vesta Douglas, but they both have taught us that nickle by nickle and dime by dime we can all make a difference.