Surf Coast’s Christmas angels

THE Surf Coast’s “Christmas Angels” at Adopt a Surfcoaster were busy at work spending their seventh year preparing gifts for children who may otherwise go without over Christmas.

Gail Smaniotto and Liza Graham gathered presents for more than 30 children last year, a similar number to years gone by, but they have noticed a shift in the way the community is helping with their mission to ensure that no child goes without at this time of year.

“Donations are down, we’re having to get more donors but they’re giving less,” Ms Smaniotto said.

“It’s very tight, they’re just giving what they’re capable of, though… I think it’s becoming a lot harder for people.”

This is despite a geographical broadening of the people seeking their help, with families from outside the normal Surf Coast catchment coming to them with requests for gifts.

“We’ve got families in Grovedale, Warralily, Belmont, Winchelsea, Ocean Grove… it’s growing,” she said.

Adopt a Surfcoaster operates a discreet and confidential service linking families in need with usually anonymous donors.

A family will make a request to the group, providing a breakdown of their children’s age and interests, and Adopt a Surfcoaster will use social media – typically Facebook – to seek those gifts from people.

“The community is phenomenal,” Ms Smaniotto said, adding that local businesses such as Ghanda, Quiksilver and Oz Trampolines helped out as well.

“Ideally down the track, we want to become a bigger charity so we can help more families and more children.”

Once all the gifts were in, they were loaded into Gail’s distinctive yellow Mini and she headed off on December 23 to deliver them.

“They all see me coming in my Mini and call us the Christmas angels,” she said.

“Just call us your very own fairy Godmothers.”