Hundreds of seniors in the mid-Island area will get at least one Christmas card this year, thanks to the efforts of dozens of volunteers.

Christiana Conway came up with the idea in 2020 because she knew many seniors living in care homes would be lonely and isolated due to the pandemic.

鈥淚t was that first Christmas and everyone was talking about how lonely 鈥� especially seniors 鈥� would be," she said. 鈥淚 thought I would, with my husband and a friend of ours, we would write some cards and drop them in and it just grew from there.鈥�

The first year saw well over 300 cards sent out and the effort has grown in the following years as Conway brought in volunteers from Oceanside Community Church, where the family attends.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been amazing to see more people get involved over the last few years,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 such an easy thing, writing a card. I鈥檇 love to encourage other people to do it themselves if they can."

This year approximately 100 volunteers were able to write close to 900 cards and about 3,000 across the five years, Conway said.

They have added a palliative care unit and a care home for patients with dementia 鈥� cards will be going out to seniors in Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Port Alberni and Nanaimo.

Conway said she spoke with a care home manager who mentioned residents may not otherwise receive any cards.

鈥淲ith the Canada Post strike, they鈥檙e not even sure if their residents will get any cards this year and so at least they鈥檒l be getting one card from us,鈥� she said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 so easy, but it can make such a difference to those who get it, so I鈥檓 just so incredibly grateful to the women at Oceanside Community Church for getting involved and supporting this.鈥�