Every December, the Kiwanis Club of Saint Andrews gathers for one of the community’s most cherished traditions: assembling holiday baskets for local seniors, especially those who are widowed or live alone. In the last few years, they have also been joined by their youngest members, the K-Kids, who bring their youthful enthusiasm to the initiative. What began nearly 50 years ago as a small gesture has blossomed into an intergenerational act of kindness that ripples through the town year after year.
Together, Kiwanians and K-Kids form a joyful, bustling assembly line, packing baskets with holiday goodies, treats, and a handwritten card from students at Vincent Massey Elementary School. This year, a print edition of The Courier will also be tucked inside, offering neighbours something special to read over the holidays. For those with dietary restrictions, a bright, festive poinsettia is delivered instead, ensuring everyone receives something made just for them.
Each basket is then hand-delivered by a Kiwanian, who brings not just a gift, but a warm personal greeting, a moment of connection for seniors who often live alone.
“It’s really just our way of saying, ‘You’re loved, and we’re thinking of you,’” said longtime St. Andrews Kiwanis Club member Sue Lister. “A basket is festive, and the visit reminds them they’re still very much part of the community family.”
For the K-Kids, it’s a lesson in compassion, responsibility, and what it means to care for your neighbours and your community.
All items are purchased locally, extending the circle of support to small businesses during the holiday season.
In return, the club receives heartfelt thank-you notes from seniors touched by the gesture.
“We’re reminded every year how powerful it is for someone to simply show up—that someone remembered them and cared enough to stop in,” Lister said.
What happens every December is more than packing baskets. It’s the passing on of a tradition, one generation teaching the next how to lift up a community, one visit, one smile, and one lovingly packed basket at a time.
