The mother-son duo behind last year’s Christmas pyjama drive are back and once again turning to the community for donations of the comfy bedtime attire.
Rosemary Heights Elementary student Reese Shelley, now in Grade 2, came up with the idea for the drive after hearing about children who do not have the most basic comforts he enjoys – let alone Christmas gifts.
Deciding to focus on pyjamas, the seven year old sprung to action with help from his mother, Erin.
Erin contacted the Surrey Christmas Bureau, which agreed to include pyjamas in the hampers of food and toys it distributes to low-income families.
Last year, the drive surpassed its goal of collecting 50 sets of pyjamas, raising a total of 362 pairs, with additional donations of books, slippers and robes.
This year the goal is to collect more than 500 pairs of the cozy clothes. As of last week, the Shelley home had 171 pairs of pyjamas piled up, with many more filling bins at drop-off locations around the Lower Mainland.
And although Erin and Reese are the main co-ordinators for the event, they have received help from Reese’s friends at Rosemary Heights, who have been coined “pyjama ambassadors” and Grade 7 students at Star of the Sea Elementary, who are collecting pyjamas for the drive.
People can drop off donations of new pyjamas to bins set up at Star of the Sea Elementary (15024 24 Ave.), Rosemary Heights Elementary (15516 36 Ave.) or any Lower Mainland Browns Socialhouse location before Dec. 5.
Local Browns locations are hosting a Pyjama Day event Dec. 4, offering 50 per cent off food when pyjamas are donated. For more info, visit facebook.com/The.Christmas.Pyjama.Drive