Reece Reichelt enjoys a good book. And he wants to ensure others do as well, so he’s collected more than 50 new books and taken them to the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Christmas Hamper Society on the Albion fairgrounds so they can be included in the hampers that will be given out this year.
“He has a love of books and was shocked that many may lack books,” said his mom Courtney in a hamper society release.
“He felt kids needed toys and books.”
Two weeks ago, Reece, 8, started collecting the books by getting donations from his class at Hammond elementary, using his own money to buy some, as well as from his mom’s co-workers at Royal Columbian Hospital.
“We are amazed by the generosity of youth in our town. To have kids as young as Reece understand and respond to the need that other kids his age might be experiencing is just wonderful,” said Lorraine Bates, hamper society coordinator.
Last year, Reece donated a large box of toys that were collected at his mom’s Christmas party.
Bates said the number of hampers put together to date stands at 455, with the target for this year remaining at 546, the same as last year.
Bates said it’s all made possible by the group of volunteers who do the collecting, sorting, organizing and distributing of the hampers.
“I can’t stop ringing their praises, because without them, it wouldn’t happen. This whole thing is based on volunteers.”
Rudolph’s Recycle Gift Shoppe runs again on Dec. 19.