GOC supports children with community help
By Adelle Ellis, Times Reporter
Photo Courtesy of Padre
The volunteer motorcycle organization was started in Strathmore earlier this year and was officially patched-in on Oct. 13 as an official chapter of the international GOC organization. Members are busy and excited to be doing a lot of “firsts” in Strathmore, including a secret Santa program they are operating in collaboration with Humpty’s Family Restaurant in Strathmore in support of Wheatland Crisis Society’s Strathmore Shelter.
“Here are kids in the shelter who are facing an incredibly tough time in life, who have had to leave behind many things that were special to them and who may even wonder if Santa will know where to find them. Kids who can benefit from knowing that there’s someone else out there who cares,” said Padre, vice-president of Strathmore GOC, who asked to be identified by his road name only.
The group contacted the Wheatland Crisis Society to inform them of the support GOC can offer their clients. At the time, the group was holding their meetings at Humpty’s and was discussing how to connect with people in the community and how to encourage them to get involved. At one of those meetings, an idea was born to set up and decorate a Christmas tree at Humpty’s where members could hang cards on the tree containing the gender and age of a child or mother in need. Members of the public are encouraged to choose a card off the tree and purchase a gift for the recipient.
“In total, there are tags for 40 kids and seven moms,” said Padre. “We are asking that all gifts be dropped off, unwrapped, to Humpty’s no later than Dec. 21. Once the gifts are delivered, the moms will wrap them for the kids (and) the kids will then have their present to open on Christmas day.”
In any community with a GOC chapter, connections are made with local authorities and officials including the RCMP, victim services and social service groups so they can work together to support children who have been or who are being abused or bullied. Families can be referred to GOC though local agencies and from there a meeting would be held with the family to explore what the need is, what GOC can offer and if the family would like the group’s support along with what support they can offer.
From there, children being helped by GOC are adopted into the local chapter family where they are given their own cut – a vest with a “Lil Guardian” patch on it and their very own road name. GOC may, with permission, provide escorts to and from school and class in cases of bullying. GOC can also attend court with a child if they have to face their abuser. Their whole goal is to support the child and to let them know they are not alone and that someone in the community cares and has their back.
“GOC works to help raise awareness in the community around issues of child abuse and bullying, and to provide support for those who are hurting. Any fundraising that we do throughout the year is for the benefit of the local community. What is raised here, stays here,” said Padre. “In being a part of something like this, I get to be a part of having a positive impact – one life, one child, one family at a time.”
As the Strathmore GOC chapter was only sworn in two months ago, the secret Santa project is their first community project. They plan on doing more throughout the year, but for now they encourage community members to pick up a tag off the tree at Humpty’s and to make a difference by supporting children in need this Christmas.
“We can’t do it all alone. We can only make a difference in our community by working together as a community, for our community.”