Calgary woman donates Thanksgiving hampers in memory of her grandmother
Brianna Kelly is providing 120 Thanksgiving meals for families in need this October. It costs $50 to fill each hamper with ham, pineapple, carrots, potatoes, gravy, a pie, and dinner buns. She started helping others in 2017 after her grandmother Olive Mawhinney died.
Kelly didn't know about her grandmother's legacy until she passed.
"She actually donated to the woman shelter in Prince George British Columbia for probably over 30 years," said Kelly. "Even in her later years when she was losing her memory to Alzheimer's, she insisted that she was driven down to the woman's shelter personally so she could give them her cheque and say this has to be used for a Christmas party for the women who attend the shelter."
The shelter named one of its programs 'Olive's Branch' in her memory. Now Kelly's Thanksgiving project is called Olive Boxes to continue the gift of giving.
In Olive Boxes first year Kelly put together four hampers. In 2018 and 2019 she grew by four hampers each year. But word in her community started to spread and along with social media postings in 2020 the project grew to 101 hampers.
"And she was really shocked," said friend and volunteer Nancy Hoeght. "And probably a little bit terrified but it was a massive success and of course, so many people from the community came out to volunteer to help, you know, from packing the boxes to delivering the boxes."
Nik Thierry was one of the first volunteers in 2018 to donate and help put the hampers together. Kelly worked as a nanny for his two daughters and has remained family friends. He's watched Olive Boxes grow and helps where he can.
"Helping out just building boxes, sticking labels on and then once we get the food we'll be putting that in the boxes and shipping it all out," said Thierry. "Grunt work really but it's the only way to get it out to people."
Kelly says she starts planning for Thanksgiving in August. She isn't a charity but puts the word out about Olive Boxes on a number of social media groups to finds families in need. She has 243 requests for hampers this Thanksgiving and only 120 to hand out. She says it's a difficult process for her to choose who to give to, but in the end it's rewarding to know she's making a difference.
"Honestly you know I get a lot of people saying we're so proud of you, but I do it for me," said Kelly. "You know it fills me up and fills my bucket for the whole entire year, I say giving is the most selfish act that you could do because really what you're doing fills you, and it fills your heart absolutely."
Learn more about Olive Boxes here:
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction overturned by N.Y. appeals court
New York's highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction, reversing a landmark ruling of the #MeToo era in determining the trial judge improperly allowed women to testify about allegations against the ex-movie mogul that weren't part of the case.
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that is banned at Queen’s Park.
CTE: Researchers believe widespread brain injury may contribute to veteran suicide rate
Researchers are working to better understand if some Canadian military veterans may be suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE -- a disorder previously found in the brains of professional football and hockey players after their death.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key bridge wreckage in Baltimore
The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore on Thursday after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago, halting most maritime traffic through the city's port.
First in Canada procedure performed at London, Ont. hospital
A London man has become the first person in Canada to receive a robotic assisted surgery on his spine. Dave Myeh suffered from debilitating, chronic back pain that led to sciatica in his right now and extreme pain in his lower back.