What do pulled wisdom teeth and the have in common?

The answer: a dedicated volunteer in Kennedy Montano, who is utilizing her social media skills to help promote the bureau鈥檚 happening this coming Tuesday, Nov. 28 at Newlands Golf and Country Club.

Kennedy, 17, a Grade 12 student at Walnut Grove Secondary, explained the connection: 鈥淏ack in Grade 10 I got my wisdom teeth out and kinda got my mom to bribe me to do it, because I really didn鈥檛 want to get my wisdom teeth out.鈥�

The money Kennedy鈥檚 mom Judy used to persuade her daughter to have the teeth yanked went to buy gifts for that year鈥檚 , benefiting the .

鈥淏ut I had just taken some new medication because this is, like, three days after I got my wisdom teeth out, so I slept through the whole thing,鈥� Kennedy said.

Instead, mom and daughter travelled closer to home, to the 91原创 Christmas Bureau headquarters, to donate the gifts.

Once there, Kennedy was floored by the spirit and generosity of the volunteers.

鈥淓veryone there was so nice and welcoming and grateful for the gifts we were donating,鈥� Kennedy said. 鈥淲e were speaking with (bureau co-coordinator) Donalda (Whaites) asking 鈥榠s there any way we can help?鈥欌��

Kennedy and Judy helped out as 鈥榚lves鈥� during the local bureau鈥檚 three Toy Depot days.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 where parents can come in and pick out gifts for their kids, and the elves go around with the parents and help them pick out gifts,鈥� Kennedy said.

鈥淚 did that two times that year and it was a really good experience. It really makes you realize how lucky you are. I was really grateful to do that.鈥�

But Kennedy noticed there weren鈥檛 a lot of gifts for teenagers.

So last year she and her friends organized a drive at their school to collect gifts for their peer group.

鈥淣o one ever seems to donate to the teenagers,鈥� Kennedy said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always people buying Barbies and Hot Wheels. We wanted to fix that. So we thought, 鈥楬ey, we鈥檙e teenagers, we could get some good gifts for teenagers.鈥欌��

They took the gifts collected from their schoolmates down to the bureau, and the same drive is happening again at Walnut Grove Secondary this year.

Looking ahead to the Children鈥檚 Wish Breakfast, Kennedy is happy to help out.

Everyone who turns up at Newlands at 21025 48 Ave. between 6:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. with a toy or cash donation is welcome to enjoy a complimentary breakfast prepared by the Newlands culinary staff.

Breakfast will be served while supplies last.

There will be live entertainment provided by local singers and musicians and a visit from Santa.

Volunteers from the 91原创 City Fire Department and the 91原创 RCMP will be on hand to receive the toys on behalf of the Christmas Bureau.

After the event, bureau elves will sort the toys according to age and gender.

鈥淲e鈥檙e doing a Facebook live stream, so I鈥檓 in charge of that, and I鈥檝e been doing all the social media this year for the breakfast,鈥� Kennedy said.

鈥淭he timing of it is really nice because it鈥檚 just when the Christmas season is starting, so I think it鈥檚 a really good way to get into the Christmas spirit. I鈥檓 really looking forward to it; I think it鈥檚 going to be a really good first year.鈥�