The Annual Christmas Miracle for families in Roatan is heading into cyberspace, making it easier for those wishing to make Christmas happen for the poorest of the poor.

    A seasonal tradition where Drumheller residents have always stepped up to the plate is the Annual Morgan Jayne Christmas Miracle, and this year it is being launched into space…
    Cyberspace, that is.
    The Morgan Jayne Project and the Christmas Miracle have made Drumheller a household word in the Roatan. The project, named after Fred Makowecki’s daughter, has saved dozens of lives supplying infant formula to stop the transmission of AIDS between mother and child.
    Over the last eight years, its supporters don’t forget that it is Christmas, and have shipped thousands of pounds of gifts and supplies to families who have never experienced a Christmas morning with gifts.
     The one prohibitive feature of this program however is the cost of shipping. Makowecki explains that last year each box they shipped cost in the area of $60 to get to an address in Florida, where it was then shipped overseas. This year the price was looking closer to $90.
    This adds up to thousands of dollars. He felt it was a shame to spend $10,000 in shipping.
    “This was about a 35 per cent increase, we identified that we need to make changes, we need another solution,” he said. So they devised a plan.
    This year they are administrating the Christmas Miracle online through Amazon.com.
 The process is quite simple. The wish list is posted on the Morgan Jayne Project website and Facebook. It lists some of the families that are in need. There is a link to the e-commerce site Amazon.com.  There, supporters can simply purchase the items requested.
    The list captures the spirit of the program. In September, the children write their letters. They are simply asking what they want for Christmas.
    “This is not a day to worry about supporting their family, this is so they can be a kids for a day,” said Makowecki.
    Through this, the items will be shipped, almost always free of charge to Florida, where they can be brought to the Roatan.
    Makowecki says not only does this make it easier and save thousands of dollars, but it also leaves more on the table for other local charities. Another benefit of the list is that it eliminates duplication.

(l-r) Nick Sereda, MLA Richard Starke, presenting the $125,000 cheque to Brooke Christianson.

A skateboard park for Drumheller is a step closer to reality today. The Drumheller Association of Skateboarding Enthusiasts (DASE) received a cheque from the province for $125,000 under it’s Community Facility Enhancement Program (CFEP).

“We’re extremely excited,” said DASE’s Brooke Christianson. “It’s an awesome day to finally receive these funds for the project.” The cheque was presented by Richard Starke, MLA for Vermillion-Lloydmister. “Essentially it makes the project possible. Without these funds it would be very difficult to start next year, which we plan on doing,” said Christianson, adding the skateboard park will be located on the site of the old tennis courts beside Drumheller’s Aquaplex. MLA Starke also presented a cheque for $10,000 to the Atlas Coal Mine for technology upgrades, and a cheque for $75,000 to Travel Drumheller, which helps the Drumheller DinoArts Association pay the bills from coordinating September's Tough Mudder.