Thunder Bay Salon Hosts Annual Christmas Drive for Teens

While most people are enjoying summer, Charlene Anderson is already planning to make Christmas brighter for overlooked kids in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

For the past six years, Anderson has organized an annual holiday event at Pure Salon that focuses on what many donation drives miss: gifts for tweens and teenagers. While younger children often receive plenty of toys and clothes during holiday drives, kids aged 10 to 16 frequently get left behind.

"Everybody thinks about those little itty-bitty children and brings in lots of toys and sleepers or new clothes and coloring things, but they forget about the in-between tween stage," Anderson explained.

The event welcomes families for an afternoon of festivities completely free of charge. Guests only need to bring donations of new items for older children and teens, which go directly to local organizations like the Children's Aid Society, Dilico Anishinabek Family Care, and Faye Peterson House.

Anderson works with these agencies to identify what kids actually need most. This partnership ensures donations match real requests from families who need support during the holidays.

The celebration includes nail painting, crafts, mini facials, and letters to Santa. Local businesses chip in prizes like bowling and swimming passes to make the day even more special.

Pure Salon closes for part of the day so the entire staff can volunteer their time. The salon even brings in high school students to help sort donations and run activities, creating a true community effort.

Sunny's Take

What makes Anderson's approach special is how she saw a gap and filled it with joy. Taking over an idea started by the salon owner, she expanded it into something that serves both families attending and children receiving gifts. The event introduces people to the salon while teaching kids about generosity, but Anderson keeps the focus where it belongs: on helping local children have a memorable holiday. When told she'd receive $200 for her cause as Thunder Bay's July Community Hero, her response captured her enthusiasm perfectly: "Aaaahhhhhh-mazing!"

Her work reminds us that the best community building happens when we notice who's being overlooked and step up to include them.