The SFP Connection Thurs., December 20, 2007

Thanks to everyone who donated to our Toy and Food Drive!
These donations were most appreciated by the South Fraser Women’s Services Society. They will use these items to add to their yearly Christmas Hamper program.

We’ll be open over the Holiday Break!
Join us between Christmas and New Years for daily doses of Boredom Busters and Playtime drop-in. Movie marathons, crafts, fun activities and our fabulous $3 fundraising lunch.

Extra bottles and cans over the holiday? Recycle for SFP: donate your bottle and can money at Choices Market or the Return it depot at the end of our complex. We have accounts at both places.

Special Events in December—email or drop in for a calendar

THIS FRIDAY—Dec 21
Come join us for our annual Christmas party, Dec 21 from 9am-12:30pm. Nelson will be here to sing and dance! Pot luck snacks (no nuts please) welcomed. Join us for special crafts and games.

Carolling with Nelson
Come sing with Nelson (from Music Tuesdays) as he goes door-to-door Saturday Dec 22 at 6pm. Email him at beavington@shaw.ca for more info.

Upcoming Programming for Families—full calendar available at SFP or on the website (click on Whats New)

Friday evening programming: Family Dinner and Boredom Busters (Dec 21)
Family Dinner is Chicken Pot Pie! Call us by noon on the Friday to reserve your family’s space (778-322-1222).
Theme: Holiday Festivities
Movie: Santa Claus cartoon and The Santa Claus 3
Want to come for both Family Dinner and Boredom Busters? Max $20 per family.

Coming in 2008! Drop by for a January calendar

New Beginnings (drop-in group for parents with newborns)
Free-of-charge with your drop-in fee—starts in January 2008 on Thursdays from 11:30 am to 12:30pm.

New Group—Parent’s Nite Out!
Come out and connect with other parents from SFP—fun and games! First session Monday January 21 at 7pm. Cost: $2 plus potluck snack to share.

Has Semiahmoo Family Place touched your life? We want to hear your stories! Our first annual Homecoming event is scheduled for Friday February 8 from 6-9pm. To find out more, call 778-322-1222.

A special letter from the Executive Director

Dear Fellow SFP’er,

SFP staff and executive are putting the final touches on our new and continuing programming for 2008 (including our Playtime and Boredom Busters drop-in, parenting and perinatal workshops) and we wish to make a special appeal to our members and supporters.

As you may or may not know, our membership and drop-in fees do not cover the full costs of our programs, nor do they cover capital costs related to toys and equipment upgrades. SFP relies heavily on direct access grants, government support, our Party Space enterprise and your generous donations to cover many of our costs, thereby enabling us to maintain low program fees, relative to similar programs offered eslewhere.

After reviewing the additional future needs of SFP, we have decided to initiate a 2008 Friends of the SFP Campaign to assist us in addressing the shortfall arising from such expenses and to build up a reserve fund that will allow us to address longer-term capital issues, including a possible move to a new location with more space for programming and more parking. We have several fundraising ideas planned for this year, including a series of concerts, films, and Garage Sales.

At this time, we hope that all of you will reflect on what SFP has meant to you over the past years (and decades) and join us in getting our campaign off to a solid start. We invite you to consider making a tax-deductable contribution toward the future of SFP, either via mail, at SFP or through our online donation portal, where tax reciepts are given instantly. In anticipation of your support, and on behalf of all present and future SFP’ers, we thank you!

Sincerely,

Laurel Tien
Executive Director, Semiahmoo Family Place
Direct Tel 604-612-6906 Main SFP Tel 778-322-1222
ed@semiahmoofamilyplace.com
www.semiahmoofamilyplace.com