Regina organization gifting family experiences this Christmas — not presents

The goal of the Eagle Heart Centre is simple: bring aid and comfort to Regina's inner-city neighbourhood and create a safe place where families can come together. 

"I think anybody that drives down any street in Regina can recognize that there are issues of poverty and issues of addiction," said executive director Mandy Bull, who joined EHC as a teenage volunteer, helping wherever she could. 

"We're there as a support to them to help them walk this path so that they can better themselves."

Delora Parisian, the centre's former director, founded a legacy project, an annual theme at Christmas.

"The project is rooted in the tradition of giving, inspired by the fond memories that we can think of even as children, and memories with our loved ones during the Christmas season," Bull said. 

This year's campaign will focus on togetherness rather than gifts. The theme is brightening the holiday season. 

Bull says the organization, founded in 1995 as the Aboriginal Family Centre, wants to promote family togetherness this season by providing meals and fun outings that can be shared. 

"Delora had always said that she couldn't remember the gifts that she got in previous years," Bull said. "But she remembered the time spent together with family and the meals that brought them together, so that is what this legacy project is all about."

Family is everything to the centre, Bull says. 

"One of the wonderful qualities I see in all of our Eagle Heart Centre team is that ability to put others before themselves," he said. "The ability to ensure that others are well taken care of.

"You hear that saying all the time: 'It takes a village.' Well not only does it take a village to raise children, but it takes a village to care for the community."

Great-grandmother grateful for help

Debbie McKenzie-Pelletier, who has been turning to EHC for support for the past 12 years, is great-grandmother to the six children she is raising. 

"They've always helped us, even with clothes, boots, winter coats," McKenzie-Pelletier said. "Melissa will find stuff for me and the kids. One year I got bags and bags of clothes for myself, which I never buy myself," she said.

Pelletier says every Christmas has been awesome with EHC support.

"Sometimes I don't feel like I deserve it because I really don't do much," she said. "I just look after great-grandchildren, and I do everything for them."

She said her worker is more than her worker now — she is like her best friend. 

"When I need a shoulder to cry on I phone her and she comes out," she said.

Pelletier says even if she weren't  a caregiver to her great-grandchildren she would still use EHC's services.

"I would because maybe after I'm gone they could still be involved with my kids," she said. "It's like a sense of security, and it makes me feel good to have them around me."