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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, November 29, 2012 · 8 Beaver supports Children of Christmas Past By John Bkila OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF There's a house on Inglehart Drive that's called the heart of the COCP program -- the Children of Christmas Past program. It may be in Burlington, but it is the hub that makes sure seniors across Halton -- and beyond -- are not forgotten during the Christmas holiday season. Established 13 years ago, the homegrown program is essentially run out of founder Jill Harrington's basement, by her, Noah Rutka -- Harrington's 10-year-old son -- and a dedicated group of 30 volunteers. COCP-approved Christmas trees are set up in several locations across the region with tags that include the first names of seniors living in residences or on their own, who don't usually receive gifts on Christmas morning, and what's on their wish list -- with somewhere between 32-33 trees appearing all over Halton this year. People visit a tree location, grab a tag, buy and wrap the gift, and then deliver it to Harrington's front porch where it will then be delivered on Christmas Day. "You have to see the porch at Christmas," said Harrington. "The gifts are piled up right over the doorknob (to the front door), down the front porch and in front of the garage and there are two volunteers that are three times a day clearing these gifts and getting them down to the basement." The program has grown so large, trees now appear in Georgetown, Mississauga, Brampton, Hamilton-Wentworth and Caledonia. This year it has even spread to seniors' residences in Lethbridge and Canmore, Alta. -- Halifax, N.S. and Cocoa Beach, Florida chapters will open next year. Harrington monitors the COCP program out of her car on her mobile phone while on her lunch breaks from working at Tim Hortons corporate office in its new business development department. She says she originally began COCP after an emotional visit to a local seniors' facility. "I saw a lot of seniors standing outside their doors with their walkers and chairs and the director there told me that they were just waiting for visitors and most of them don't have any coming. It was just heartbreaking," Harrington said. Moved by that experience, Harrington decided to ask guests to her Christmas house party in 1999, that rather than bringing a bottle of wine or hostess gift, to bring something a senior might enjoy -- she ended up with 75 gifts that first year to donate to local seniors. Her guests liked the idea so much, the second year, they began asking her what other types of things seniors would like as gifts. At a loss, Harrington started contacting seniors' resiSee Local page 11 RIZIERO VERTOLLI / OAKVILLE BEAVER / @halton_photog Christmas wishes: Oakville Beaver receptionist Helena Chartrand, left, is pictured with Children of Christmas Past (COCP) program volunteers Sandra Kersteman and Noah Rutka, 10. For the second year, the Beaver is supporting the program. Residents are invited to stop by our 467 Speers Rd. office to select a tag from the tree bearing a senior's Christmas wish and return the wrapped gift by Dec. 10 with the tag attached. The gifts will be distributed before Christmas. IF YOU WORK IN ONTARIO, THIS IS YOUR FIGHT. On September 11, 2012, the Ontario Liberal government passed Bill 115, the Putting Students First Act, 2012. Bill 1 15 is undemocratic, unconstitutional, and unprecedented. · It takes away the democratic rights of teachers and education professionals to bargain collectively. · It places the government beyond the reach of the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Ontario Labour Relations Act, and even the courts. · It takes local decision-making away from school boards and puts it in the hands of the provincial government. That's why we're standing against Bill 115. It sets a dangerous precedent for all Ontarians. In fact, the government has already threatened other public sector workers with similar legislation. As teachers, we teach your children to stand up for their principles. Today, we ask you to do the same. What can you do to help? Join us in standing up for democratic rights. Let your MPP know that Bill 115 must be repealed. StopBill115.ca This message brought to you by the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario