Cpl Hope Post shows off some of the bracelets that are for sale – Photo by Mike Marshall

Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members with the Transition Group at 4 Wing are offering a fun, fashionable way to support a holiday initiative. The group is selling homemade bracelets and sun catchers with the funds going towards the 4 Wing 2021 Christmas Hamper Program.

Some of the bracelets for sale – Photo by Mike Marshall

“Our members are kind of everywhere,” explains Lt Monica Matzner with the Transition Centre. “We decided to go with something we could do while we’re here. We’re not able to put together a big Christmas hamper, like some of the big units do. [Cpl Hope Post] has been helping out with making bracelets and other members have come in as well and it’s our contribution to the campaign.”

The bracelets range in price from $10 to $12. Some feature intricate designs, including a few that are representative of the community.

“Hope has done a few inspired by our Positive Space Ambassadors. One features the Transgender flag, one is LGBTQ2+, one is Genderqueer, another is Pansexual and one is Genderfluid. It’s all the individual identities and flags that represent them,” says Matzner.

The bracelets and sun catchers are on sale now at the Transition Centre inside the Centennial Building. They’ll remain on sale for the whole campaign, which is due to wrap up December 3rd. For Post, she says it’s a fun way to support something that offered her a helping hand once.

“I was the recipient last year of one of the Christmas hampers and that got my roommate and I through a couple of months and it was huge for us,”

Cash is accepted and Matzner says interested buyers should try to bring as close to the cost of the bracelet as possible, as change is sometimes hard to come by.

“We made $830 last year between bracelets and cash donations,” adds Matzner. “For a very small unit, we’re very proud of that.”