An out-of-work Okotoks couple is bringing Christmas cheer to those worse off than themselves.
Anneke and Gary Scholten created an initiative called Joy to the World to get residents in the Okotoks area together to sing carols for those who could use some uplifting.
The couple created the website caroling.ca as a place for people to sign up to carol and to request carols between Dec. 19 and 24.
“I thought if we find people who love singing and we find people who are sad they can go along the streets and cheer up people,” said Anneke. “We can lift them up.”
Anneke said caroling is a way for people in the community to give without costing them money.
“Right now there’s people who don’t have a lot to spend themselves,” she said. “This way you don’t have to spend money. You can spend time and gift your time away to people. Sometimes it’s painful when you don’t have anything to give, especially when you don’t have a job.”
The Scholtens envision groups of friends, family, co-workers, classmates and even strangers coming together to sing Christmas tunes, with the option of dressing up and bringing goodies to hand out to the listeners.
“You don’t have to be rich to gift,” she said. “It could be something you are good at or something you enjoy doing. We can all help each other and it doesn’t even have to cost money.”
Anneke was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis five years ago, rendering her unable to work.
Gary lost his job in February when the couple moved to Okotoks and hasn’t been able to find work since.
“We are both in a difficult position,” said Anneke. “We thought maybe we could set something up for people who are in worse situations.”
That’s when the couple thought about Christmas.
“It’s a lovely time for most of us but not for all of us,” she said. “There’s people who are lonely and maybe in a bad financial situation or lost a family member. So many people are worse off.”
As a teenager in the Netherlands, Anneke sang carols to people in her small community as part of a church initiative.
“We just had a lot of fun doing it,” she said. “Of course we did it for a lot of older people who weren’t able to drive and get to the church anymore. We brought a little bit of church to them.”
In celebration of International Caroling Day on Dec. 20, Anneke is arranging for a large caroling choir and is inviting members of the community to donate hot chocolate and soup to give to the carolers throughout the day.
The Scholtens also spearheaded Good Bank, which allows people to sign up to provide free services that range from babysitting to doing taxes.
“When you don’t have any money to spend you still have time and you can give time away when you want,” said Anneke. “There is people who maybe need help with taxes and things like that or are having a wedding and suddenly you lose your job and you don’t have money to spend on the wedding anymore.
“How fun can it be when there is a bunch of people who can help with the crafting and make it a wonderful day.”
Anneke said there is more urgency with Joy to the World because it’s coming up in just one month.
“It’s a very new idea,” said Anneke. “We just hope it might be a yearly thing to set up a new tradition here.”
For more information or to sign up for the caroling go to caroling.ca
For more information about the Good Bank go to goodbank.ca
