Get involved by donating items to Royal Purple care bags
By Joan Janzen
Kindersley Royal Purple is conducting its fourth Purple Thursday Care Bag campaign in recognition of Purple Thursday on Oct. 16. Darlene May, from the Kindersley lodge, is heading up the campaign, which provides essentials for women, children and men who often leave home with nothing.
Awareness empowers women to break the cycle of violence and seek a new life. However, statistics show one in three women experiences intimate partner violence. Of those, one in eight will have suffered a brain injury from physical force or strangulation. The good news is more women are seeking assistance and benefiting from care bags containing essentials.
Darlene May from the Kindersley Royal Purple welcomes donated items for their Purple Thursday Care Bag campaign. Donation boxes are located at the Coop Pharmacy, Pharmasave and at the dollar store downtown. PHOTO BY JOAN JANZEN
“Canadian Royal Purple provides the bags, and we put in the contents,” Darlene explained. Bags are made for women, children and men. Donations of personal hygiene items, face cloths, towels and makeup are appreciated.
“A lady in town donated handmade toques,” Darlene said. “Most people deal with things by writing them down, so we include journals in the bags.” Colouring books and word search books are also welcome additions, giving recipients “something to do,” Darlene pointed out.
The purple bags are similar to small backpacks, and kids love receiving them and unpacking the small toys inside.
This year, the Kindersley Royal Purple is making 55 bags, which will be shared among the Crisis Centre, Prairie Sky Recovery in Wilkie, and the Rosetown and Kindersley RCMP detachments. More than 5,000 Purple Care Bags will be delivered to Canadian shelters through the Canadian Royal Purple campaign.
Donated items are greatly appreciated. “It costs about $100 a bag by the time you put in everything needed,” Darlene said. “Any extra items will be donated to the Crisis Centre.”
Donation boxes are located at the Co-op Pharmacy, Pharmasave, and the downtown dollar store. Don’t miss this opportunity to provide much-needed care in your community. The deadline for contributing items is Oct. 18.