Donations and wrapping paper at the United Way office. (CHAT News Photo/Bob Schneider)

By Chris Brown

From Dec. 1-24

United Way seeking volunteers for gift-wrapping booth

Nov 16, 2020 | 2:55 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – If you can make crisp corners and the best bows around the United Way wants to hear from you.

On Dec. 1 the United Way will set up its annual booth to help the gift wrapping-challenged in the Bay wing of the Medicine Hat Mall. The booth will be open the same hours as the mall until Dec. 24.

The gift-wrapping booth is the United Way’s second-largest fundraiser and relies heavily on volunteers, says Missy Fandrick, executive director of the United Way of Southeastern Alberta.

“It’s such a great service, it’s a great way to raise money and people feel like they’re getting something for their donation,” she says. “Not that they don’t normally. But it’s kind of a feel-good, you go there, you get your presents wrapped, they look like a million bucks. We use wrapping paper that nobody else has in Medicine Hat and you’re doing a good thing. You’re supporting 15 agencies with 27 programs in Medicine Hat.”

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Fandrick adds they won’t be accepting single volunteers and are looking for families or cohorts to volunteer together and shifts will be two or three hours each.

You can help even if your wrapping skills aren’t top-notch.

“Hopefully you hook up with other people in your cohort that already know how and then you could be the cashier. The cashier is like the boss of the booth, which is quite fun,” Fandrick laughed. “Or just bring your gifts.”

The prices for getting a gift wrapped haven’t changed in 10 years, she said.

It ranges from $3.50 for a small package to $15 for a big parcel, with the typical gift costing about $6.

Safety measures at the booth will include lots of hand sanitizer, gloves and the debit machine will be in plastic and changed between each use. Masks are encouraged.

Call the United Way at 403-526-5544 if you’d like to volunteer.