The public can support the Langley Christmas Bureau and other local causes by dressing up and going to tea.

Tickets are on sale for the popular Langley Christmas Tea hosted by the Thank You for Caring Society on Sunday, Nov. 20.

“We are expecting it to be a wonderful event,” said Charlene Fassbender, one of the organizers with the society.

“The Christmas bureau is our main priority for proceeds from the tea, but we felt as a committee we’d like to help some other groups,” Fassbender said. “We were focused on children and families at Christmas time, but want to be able to help during the year, if we hear of a need, including senior’s groups. This past year we gave to the Aldergrove Starfish Backpack program, The Langley Youth Hub, The Foundry and Langley Lodge Music Therapy program.

The event in the Cascades Casino ballroom features high tea, silent and online auctions, Steve ‘Elvis’ Elliott, speakers, and more. Tickets are $50 per person or $500 for a table of 10. Get tickets at givergy.ca. Look for Langley Christmas Tea 2022.

“We will decide after our event this year, depending on our proceeds, who all we can support,” she added.

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Bureau up and running

In the past, the Langley Christmas Bureau that distributes toys, books, and more to Langley children of needy families had set up in a large space in the community and provided the Christmas gifts to families over a three-day period.

This year the bureau could not find such space so 100 per cent volunteer bureau is adapting.

“The Toy Depot is being set up in the lobby of City hall in front of the finance department. It isn’t as big a space as in prior years but they will make it work,” said Darrin Leite, the city’s director of corporate finance.

The City has provided administrative help for many years, and this year, it’s providing space. The City’s elected officials voted Monday to continue holding virtual council meetings until the new year so the bureau can make use of council chambers as well.

The reduced space means the bureau will change how it distributes the gifts.

“Rather than condensing the Toy Depot into three days the bureau will extend the period over three weeks so that they don’t have crowds of people all at once. That means the bureau has a lot more volunteer shifts to cover (120 in total),” Leite noted.

Anyone interested in volunteering can contact the bureau at 604-530-3001. Toy Depot days run Nov. 28 to Dec. 15.

Some of the traditional events that brought in toy donations aren’t possible this year, such as the breakfast at Newlands. So the organizers are working to find other opportunities, such as the new Christmas Festival at the Timms Centre on Dec. 3 and 4. It replaces the Magic of Christmas Parade which became too costly.

People can also contact the bureau to arrange for toy and monetary donations through the website langleychristmasbureau.com or by calling 604-530-3001.

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• READ MORE: Bureau’s Christmas gifts include books from Langley Literacy Association

• READ MORE: LETTER: Municipal election may be over but people’s energies still needed for community groups

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