The Powassan and District Union Public Library will be very busy this Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
During those three days, the library is holding its first-ever Kids Holiday Shop.
It's an event where children can visit the library and pick one or two gifts to give to a parent or sibling.
The gifts are free and the event was proposed by Jodi Roadknight of North Bay who volunteers at the Powassan library.
“We do a similar thing at Sunset Public School in North Bay where my kids attend,” said Roadknight, adding there are a couple of differences.
Roadknight says at Sunset Public School the students 'buy' the gifts by making a small donation.
Also, the North Bay school event, which has been going on for about five years, is open only to the Sunset students.
In Powassan the Kids Holiday Shop is open to children across the community. When Roadknight proposed the idea to the Powassan Library and the library bought into it, Roadknight didn't expect what was about to happen next. Shortly after the promotions began for the upcoming event, Roadknight says people began to bring numerous items to the library.
She says the intent was for people to bring slightly used goods.
“But people have been buying new items,” she said. “That was unexpected and people went above and beyond. The response has been so overwhelming that we've had hundreds of items come in.”
Roadknight says the goods include jewellery, perfume, kitchen articles, books, mugs, and items intended for kids. However, the public was asked not to bring in clothing.
Roadknight said she had heard stories that Powassan is a very giving community but admits the response blew her away. When she suggested the Kids Holiday Shop, staff allocated her three cupboards in a room on the lower floor. Roadknight says those cupboards were filled in no time and soon she had to start storing the goods in the library kitchen and another room in boxes.
“It's been thrilling to see this community come together,” Roadknight said. “It's like Christmas every time someone comes through the library doors with a bag of something.”
Roadknight says the library has made arrangements with Mapleridge Public School to walk the students to the library on Thursday and they will be the first 'shoppers'. The same invitation couldn't be extended to students at St. Gregory's Catholic Elementary School because it's much farther away and the students would have to walk on Highway 534 where there are no sidewalks.
However the library remains open late on Thursday and parents can take their children to the Kids Holiday Shop that evening or after school on Friday, when an open house is scheduled, or any time on Saturday.
Roadknight says as the kids pick their gifts they'll be able to wrap them on site. Because so many gifts were donated, Roadknight expects some items will be leftover and if that's the case, the remaining goods will be donated to other organizations.
Roadknight expects the Kids Holiday Shop to be an annual event.
She says the decision was made to provide the gifts free of charge because inflation and higher interest rates have made it a tough year for some. Roadknight also says the event is a great way for young children to learn that Christmas is not only about receiving gifts but also about giving.
Rocco Frangione is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the North Bay Nugget. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
