The holidays are upon us, and Celebrate with Santa is back!

While Santa himself is too busy training for the holidays to visit in person this year, UCalgary Alumni are spreading holiday cheer by helping support students in need.

Following the success of last year’s inaugural crowdfunding campaign that raised more than $10,000 for the SU Campus Food Bank, Celebrate with Santa is back. This year, the campaign supports two great causes: the campus food bank and the Olympic Oval Athlete Bursary.

“UCalgary alumni have been long-standing supporters of the SU Campus Food Bank and many other important initiatives that help students reach their goals,” says Helen Sunderland, BMus'87, MBA'92, president and chair of the UCalgary Alumni Association (UCAA). “We were inspired by Celebrate with Santa’s success last year and are delighted that the UCAA’s partners at Manulife matched our community’s generosity. This year, let’s do even more!”

While we still aren’t able to lace up and Skate with Santa at the Olympic Oval as we did in years past, the launch of the Celebrate with Santa UCrowdfund campaign ensures participants can still support students and help combat food insecurity in our community.

For this year’s campaign, the first $10,000 raised will, once again, be matched by UCalgary Alumni’s affinity partner, Manulife — so your gift will have double the impact.

Donate to support UCalgary students — two ways to contribute

While money raised this year will once again support the SU Campus Food Bank, for the first time, gifts can also be made to the Olympic Oval Athlete Bursary. It was created to relieve financial strains on high-performance athletes as they study, work, train and compete.

“(Receiving a bursary) takes so much stress off the financial burden that being in school brings. A lot of us wouldn’t be able to play sports without these athletics scholarships,” says Matthew Lucyshyn, a Schulich School of Engineering student and Dinos Football athlete.

Celebrate with Santa runs until Dec. 21.   

Gifts given in support of the Olympic Oval Bursary will receive a charitable tax receipt.

The first 300 donors to give in support of the SU Campus Food Bank will receive a special holiday celebration package with benefits from alumni-built businesses, including:

• • $10 discount code from Calgary Heritage Roasting Co.
  • $10 discount code from Milk Jar Candle Co.
  • Admission and skate rental at the Olympic Oval, valued at $10

Spread holiday cheer to UCalgary students in need by supporting one or both of these great causes.