Donation Made to Birthday Buddies


On hand for the check presentation were (from left) Cathy Maughan, vice-president CEP Local 7 - Charlene Matheson, vice-president of CEP Local 830 - Jennifer Fast, Birthday Buddies - and Barbara Jones, Secretary Local 7.

On March 18, the CEP Joint Women's Committee presented a cheque for $1,900.00 to Jennifer Fast of Birthday Buddies. Birthday Buddies is a non-profit organization that provides birthday gift packs to children living in second stage housing for abused women.

Jennifer Fast, who currently operates Birthday Buddies on her own, believes that these children are particularly deserving of a celebration in their honour and the delicious anticipation of receiving special gifts and much needed personal items on their birthday. Birthdays are one of the things forgotten when children are living in a shelter with their mothers. Birthday buddies gives back to these children a little of the normalcy of life and something to look forward to on their special day.

Each gift pack consists of a birthday cake with candles, birthday card and balloons, and a backpack containing a selection of birthday gifts, a book, a writing journal and pens and personal items such as toothbrush/paste, comb/brush, make-up, deodorant, hair accessories and nail clippers.

The birthday gifts are all new and of good quality and are purchased with the child's favourite colours, sports, and activities in mind. Each gift pack is valued at $100.

The CEP Joint Women's Committee held a Pig Roast as a fundraiser as well as selling scratch books. CEP Local 7 thanks everyone who participated in these events for making the fundraisers such a success. For more information on Birthday Buddies, check out their web site please go to their website or call Jennifer Fast at 489-1694.