Church group brings joy, one satchel at a time

Christmas is the time of year for magic and kindness, and that’s clear during St. George, Haliburton’s annual St. Nick’s Satchel Campaign.

For the past eight years, the Creative Devotions, a sewing group that is a part of the church, has gathered to create Christmas satchels – sweetly created little bags – that are filled with goodies for older kids and donated directly to the Youth Wellness Hub in Haliburton.

“We saw a need there,” says Louise Sisson, the people’s warden. “It was something that was started by the Rev. Ken McClure. He was very much a storyteller and loved the story of St. Nick.”

The legend of St. Nick started around 350 BCE with a Greek Orthodox bishop named Nicholas, who heard that a local townsman was struggling and had to sell his three beautiful daughters as a result. Nicholas went to the man’s home late one evening and threw a small satchel of gold into a window. The gold was enough to save the man and his daughters from poverty. That story has been woven and evolved into the background for the modern-day Santa Claus.

Each year, the Creative Devotions put together 50 small, colourful satchels for youth in the community, and include three gift cards, an orange and some treats. Mary Sisson, the hub’s manager, disperses the satchels to individuals in need.

The Youth Wellness Hub is “a one-stop shop for youth aged 12 to 25,” she says. “It is an inclusive, positive and welcoming space where youth can access a broad range of services and supports delivered in a respectful and inclusive fashion.” From April to December 2024, the hub saw 1,932 visits for activities and provided food security to about 47 youth.

Ms. Sisson says the satchels provided by St. George’s are a bright spot for many of the youth in the community, particularly as that age range is overlooked during many holiday campaigns. “For older youth who may be on their own or don’t have a connection to family, to get this gift is so special,” she says. “We are just so grateful for this partnership over the past few years.”

For her part, Louise Sisson is proud of the hard work the church has done for the community hub and shows no signs of slowing down when it comes to supporting the youth. “The hub looks after them,” she says. “It gives them a place to go after school, a place to listen to music, play games and be a safe space. It’s just such an awesome place to have in our community.”

This article first appeared in the Haliburton Echo. It is reprinted with permission.