By Chad Ingram

“I’m overwhelmed each year” says Ron Reid.

Reid who is the co-ordinator of the annual Minden Christmas basket program is talking about the generosity of the community.

Overseen by the food bank Reid took over co-ordination of the program in 1997.

“The original premise was to make sure every child had a toy and every family had a Christmas dinner” Reid says.

Over the years that has grown to include toys a Christmas dinner with all the traditional fixings and about a week’s worth of groceries.

“There’s been so much generosity from the food bank” Reid said.

When he first started the program was run by a group of five to 10 volunteers.

These days some 60 volunteers come out to the Minden Hills Community Centre for two days of assembling the baskets as well as a day of pick up.

The program serves about 170 families in the Minden and Kinmount area each year.

This year set up will take place at the community centre on Dec. 16 and 17 which pick up for families taking place Dec. 18.

Anyone who wishes to volunteer can simply show up at the community from 9 a.m. on any one of these days.