Wagga families experiencing hardships this Christmas will receive a much-needed boost thanks to the Salvation Army Family Store, local entrepreneur Kate Bower and Bower Wood Lawyers.
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The collaboration is appealing for financial donations to buy movie tickets that will then be donated to families for Christmas.
The Salvation Army’s community engagement manager Judy Allen said the initiative by Mrs Bower was “a fabulous idea”, which began in 2017.
“Last year, we managed to give some out before Christmas and the rest given out during the year to families in distress or fleeing domestic violence,” Ms Allen said.
“It was just nice for them to have the night off and to just do something fun.
”Some kids have also never been to the cinema before so it’s a real treat for them.”
Donations for start at $20, which buys one movie ticket and one $10 candy bar voucher at Forum 6 Cinemas.
The appeal comes at the same time the store began handing out its Christmas hampers to 200 families.
“We’ve got 200 families on our list this year,” Ms Allen said.
Mrs Bower, who runs a business selling handmade products, said she was keen on doing it every year after coming up with the idea.
“As long as there’s support, we’ll keep doing it,” Mrs Bower said.
“Our goal is to beat last year where 110 tickets were donated.”
Her husband, Rhys, is a partner at Bower Wood Lawyers and she said it was promoting the initiative through the firm that they would reach more people.
Asked about what motivated her, she said “as I get older, I start to think more about what I want to give”.
“Suddenly it occurred to me that we go only once a year to the movies around Christmas and that’s around $100.
“It’s a luxury and I want to get as many families to have that great experience.”
Mrs Bower then contacted the store about the idea who immediately accepted it.
“Last year, we had grandparents getting tickets for their loved ones and they cried with gratitude,” she said.
Mrs Bower encouraged residents to donate, saying “$20 is a small amount that can change someone’s life”.
Residents may donate at The Salvation Army or Bower Wood Lawyers.
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