NORTH BAY -- With around 200 homemade baby hats ready for donation, 14-year-old Paige Buchanan found a way to give back to the community in more ways than one this holiday season.

The North Bay teen has been making hats since she was 10-years-old and donating them to the hospital for newborn babies, but this year she took her efforts one step further.

“For every $10 the person would give, a little sticker with a heart on it would have their name on it and get stuck on the hat,” explained Buchanan.

Right now she has 200 hats ready to go with about 170 sponsored already. But instead of using that money for more supplies or personal use, she is buying toys and donating them to the North Bay Santa Fund in partnership with Low Income People Involvement of Nipissing (LIPI).

“I didn’t want anyone to not have any toys for Christmas,” said Buchanan who has over 100 toys stacked in her bedroom right now ready for drop off around Dec.10.

“I wanted to help out and do my part in the community.”

Through LIPI she was given an age group to buy for, but Buchanan says she has bought toys for other ages as well.

“Some things too that we have it’s just ‘when I was little what would I want? Or if I was a little boy what would I be into?,’” she said.

The North Bay Santa Fund is in its 73rd year and officials say there are “north of 400-500 [people] at the moment” with applications still being accepted.

“Every child from one to age 18 get a toy and some of them are gift cards for the older children,” explained North Bay Santa Fund past chair Lachlan McLachlan.

“This year the toys have been procured locally and we’re quite excited about what’s being given.”

Through the Santa Fund families get a weeks worth of staples for the kitchen, supplies for a Christmas dinner and a basket of toys/clothing for the kids.  This makes donations like Buchanan’s extremely important during this time.

“Its heart warming, there’s no question,” said McLachlan.

“I’ve seen this year after year after year. We don’t think we’re going to make our goal, as we come closer to Christmas we’re down 30 or 40 thousand and then at the last three days we get a big swell of, not only volunteering, but a big swell of donations coming from corporations as well as individuals.”

“It feels really good,” added Buchanan, who has plans to volunteer with the Santa Fund when volunteers are allowed again.

“Just knowing that you’re helping out and that you could make someone really happy, it’s just a nice feeling.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the North Bay Santa Fund is operating differently this year with safety protocols in place, less volunteers and people being encourage to make monetary donations online. (www.santafund.ca)

However, although being rolled out in a slightly different format, this initiative continues to be essential in North Bay.

“I have been on many deliveries myself and the reaction you get, the smiles, the tears sometimes. Some of them are handing me thank you cards, so we know that the people appreciate what the community is doing for them,” said McLachlan.

The baskets will be packed at Memorial Gardens on Dec. 22 with delivery scheduled to take place on Dec. 23 so that every family in the city is prepared for Christmas Day.

However, the Santa Fund is still-a-ways away from the 2020 goal.

“Right now the donation total is roughly $21,000 and our goal this year is $140,000,” said McLachlan.

“So we do have a long way to go and we’re encouraging people to do something at work and create a raffle or collect money for the Santa Fund. Schools are doing the same thing, they do it every year. Corporations are doing the same thing. And then just individuals who want to donate can by all means donate online or in person at the Nugget.”

 “I see children walking in the Nugget and donating their $5 or $10 so every dollar counts.”

To sponsor a hat, visit Buchanan's LoomLove Facebook page.