Shop of Wonders host open house

By Rob Vogt
It was an opportunity to learn more about the Shop of Wonders.
MyCityCare held an open house at Parallel Church in Claresholm on Monday, Jan. 5, welcoming the public in to see just what the program is all about.
The Shop of Wonders opens before Christmas, and people pre-register for a time.
When they arrive at the Parallel Church they are greeted by a room full of brand new toys decked out in festive Christmas displays.
They are then provided with a personal shopper who will guide them through the Shop of Wonders.
The family will then choose up to six gifts per child – free of charge.
Families go through the Shop of Wonders one at a time so they can have their privacy.
A wrapping station is available, but families can also take wrapping paper home if they want to wrap gifts themselves.
All the toys and stocking stuffers are brand new, and come from donations from individuals, businesses and community organizations.
This year, the Shop of Wonders provided 1,200 gifts to 200 children from Claresholm, Stavely and Granum.
Trevor Yeaman is the director for the MyCityCare Foothills Region.
He said the open house attracted a lot of people who hadn never before seen the Shopo of Wonders.
The mayor, members of town council, and local business owners all came to see what the Shop of Wonders was about.
“It’s been a privilege to show them around,” Yeaman said.
The open house was also a chance for MyCityCare to express their gratitude to the community for all their support of Shop of Wonders.
Yeaman said the program really helps families at Christmas time when there can be so much stress.
“To have some stress relieved is a big deal,” he said, adding the Shop of Wonders does that.
Anyone who attended the open house saw how many toys were still in the Shop of Wonders.
Yeaman said they will all be inventoried and stored.
“It gives us a start on next year,” he said.