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Shoebox fundralser lifeline to remote native commumty By Steve LeBlanc | CANADIAN CHAMPION sTAFF | Hygiene products, socks and school supplies aren‘t the type of gifts met | with much enthusiasm by most children. Of course most youth will never know the extreme poverty that comes with living in Attawapiskat. Thrust into the public eye as a reâ€" sult of its high rate of suicide, the northern Ontario native communiâ€" ty is fraught with isolation, meager housing, an absence of clean drinkâ€" ing water and an overall lack of opâ€" | portunity. For one Milton woman, sympathy | for those affected â€" especially | the young ones â€" simply wasn‘t enough. "I was devastated and heartbroâ€" ken to learn about their struggles," | recalled Cathy Pewter, a longtime | local resident and owner/operator | of Just Paws, a dog walking and pet | sitting business. "Imagine living in a moldâ€"contaminated house which you share with up to nine other people due to a housing shortage. Cathy Pewter is collecting shoeboxes filled with items for children and families living in Attiwapiskat. Suppfied photo runs until December 31. | "We‘re hoping to capitalize on the Imagine keeping a canoe at the side of the house just in case of an early spring thaw that will flood | Christmas spirit, with some people your community and it‘s your only | perhaps reâ€"gifting things they don‘t way of escape." ! want," said the project‘s driving | Determined to provide a lifeline to | force. | the youth of Attawapiskat, Pewter | Given the northern town‘s povertyâ€" | and a handful of volunteers have | laden population, Pewter urges ! started a shoebox fundraiser that supporters to choose practical We want to hear from you. + Our Information Centre is open, We‘re hoping to hear from you if we haven‘t already. information Centre, 61 James Snow Parkway, Unit 202 Tuesday to Friday â€" 12 to 4 p.m Saturday â€" 10 a.m. to 2 p.m milton@cn.ca â€" www.cnmilton.ca â€" @CNandMilion . 1 16 m db db d ® P DDDPPPPF DDDDP DBDD PDPDDDDD D Iil’ l::] D COSNJ MILTON LOGIstics HUB 9466 items for their shoeboxes rather than anything lavish. "Just about everything is a luxury to them. Just having their own soap or toothbrush is a huge deal" said Pewter, who has had a relatively enâ€" couraging kickoff to the fundraiser â€" with a few shoeboxes and a doâ€" nation of 20 cases of bottled water. "These are things that aren‘t a guarâ€" anteed part of life like they are for | most of us. It‘s awful" | Those interested in putting together | a shoebox donation are asked to | | make sure hygiene products contain no alcohol and that any games inâ€" cluded are of the nonâ€"violent variety. And any clothing should be warm enough for the minusâ€"40 or colder temperatures faced in the northern Ontario community. a boy or girl in the following age groups: * 3 to 5 (suggested items â€" colourâ€" ing books, new toys, personal hyâ€" giene products, hat and gloves) | +6 to 8 (suggested items â€" books, puzzles, oral hygiene products, sunâ€" | glasses) vand 100 or more ® Sobeysr i o ol t Shoeboxes can be made up for | aq Aepsiny1 | 53 â€" 9 to 12 (suggested items â€" school o supplies, personal and oral hygiene 3 products, games) » 13â€"16 (suggested items â€" books, ® puzzles, personal and oral hygiene S o products, school supplies) +« 18â€"andâ€"over (personal and oral hygiene, school supplies, games, = clothing) Pewter is also accepting gentlyâ€" & used outerwear, blankets, bottled & water and cleaning supplies. She‘s also hoping to secure volunâ€" teer transportation from an area company, since the secluded comâ€" | munity requires airplane dropâ€"ins. Miltonians are asked to label their | shoebox donations with the recipiâ€" 2 ent‘s gender and age group. Pewter hopes to collect about 200 : boxes this month â€" with pickâ€"up J available by one of her volunteers & â€" and is looking at making the ® | project a yearâ€"round initiative. § | "Just think how a child will get such 5 joy at receiving this (shoebox donaâ€" § tion)," she said. To make a donation or for more | information, visit justpaws.ca and ’ click on ‘Attawapiskat‘. g 12q 9T OIdWVHI NVIGVNYVI NOLTW | 9T extra