Unless there’s a new person on the horizon, the founder of the Armstrong Purse Project has zipped up her last donation bag.
Vienna Demontigny began the project more than a decade ago, after hearing of a similar happening in Vernon. She felt mothers were getting left behind when it came to Christmas items. So Demontigny started handing out bags filled with personal items.
And what started as a women-only project now includes men.
“It’s been very gratifying,” said Demontigny of her project where she purchases or receives donated Christmas bags to hand out along with hampers from the Armstrong Food Bank in December. The bags contain toiletries, or other items that can fit easily inside a purse.
“It’s a good feeling to help out. I’ve been doing it for more than 10 years and there are certain things that are not working on me anymore so this will be my last year unless somebody is willing to take it over.”
Demontigny has received help from more than a dozen residents who purchase items for the bags throughout the year, and also help her put the bags together.
“The community has always been behind this project, and still is,” she said.
The bags contain items like soap, nail clippers, mouthwash, toothpaste, toothbrush, Kleenex, hand cream, gum, gloves, and toques. The Armstrong Kin Club also donated $20 gift cards to Askew’s Foods.
There will be 40 bags handed out to women and 10 bags to men this year.
“When I started, the first year there was one bag. Then there were three bags. Then I went to 40,” laughed Demontigny. “A few years ago we realized men could use some of this stuff too, so we added bags for men. You realize there’s a need.”
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