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Toronto - Canada Post today announced that Santa Claus' North Pole post office at H0H 0H0 is open for business. Postal Elves across the country are ready and waiting to help Santa handle the satchels full of mail he'll receive this holiday season. Holiday spirit was in the air during an event held at The Salvation Army's Christmas distribution centre, as Santa looked on while post office representatives made a special delivery of $25,000 to the not-for-profit organization for its "Christmas Appeal" fund.
Students from Ms. McFadden's and Ms. Frangos' grade one classes, from Norman Ingram Public School in Toronto, were on hand to deliver toys they collected for marginalized children this Christmas. The students had a chance to pen their own letters to Santa and even raise a cup of hot chocolate with the man himself.
For each of the past five years Santa has received more than one million letters from children around the world. Santa's North Pole Post Office has processed more than 14 million letters since the national program was established in 1982. More than 11,000 Canada Post employees (current and retired), known affectionately as Postal Elves, volunteer their time to help Santa respond to his letters in the language in which they are received, including Braille.
Children are reminded to include a complete return address and to send their holiday letters to Santa at his North Pole workshop:
SANTA CLAUS
NORTH POLE H0H 0H0
CANADA
Santa can also receive email through a special website at www.canadapost.ca/santascorner and children and parents can check his Canada Post site for fun holiday games and activities.
This is the sixth year that Canada Post is supporting The Salvation Army's efforts to benefit individuals and families around the holiday season and this year's $25,000 donation marks a $200,000 milestone for the post office. The funds from Canada Post's 2006 donation will benefit The Salvation Army's "Christmas Appeal" and will be used to purchase Christmas dinner, toys and meals throughout the season for those in Ontario who need it most.
"On behalf of the hundreds who will benefit from this year's Canada Post donation – and all those who came before – I extend a heartfelt thanks to Canada Post for giving hope to those in need this Christmas season," said Colonel Glen Shepherd, chief secretary for The Salvation Army, Canada and Bermuda Territory.
In past years, funds from the Canada Post/Salvation Army partnership have been used where most needed in areas across the country, including: the purchase of thousands of blankets for less-fortunate individuals and winter boots and snowsuits for needy children; expansion of a Vancouver shelter's capacity by purchasing mats for use during the winter months; provision of educational materials, toys and warm clothing for children at a shelter in Montréal; provision of temporary food and shelter to needy families when they have to travel to be near a hospitalized family member; and, the purchase of new beds for a hospice in Calgary.
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