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My mom does an amazing job spreading the joy of Christmas around to others, too. There are disabled adults who may have no other family, so they don’t get anything for Christmas. Four years ago, my mom started doing this huge fundraiser back home in California for Arc, where Ashley goes to work. Sometimes, all the people want is a T-shirt or a colouring book – the most basic little thing that they ask for for Christmas is all they ever want.

With the fires in the Thousand Oaks, Calif., area this year, some of the individuals had major health or living issues, so the program was more important than ever. There are about 40 to 50 people that she works with and my mom has made sure the last four years that everyone makes up a wish list and they get the first thing on their list. You get your PS4s and that sort of thing but you also get a 60-year-old with Down syndrome asking for a new colouring book or the most basic crayon set. All they want is something that is new and fun to them.

It’s just the opportunity to give back to a segment of the population that gets overlooked, that most people would assume has someone there for them.

Someone has to do it and my mom doing that opens that Christmas spirit back up. As much as my mom has always done for us, to see her work so hard and go out of her way for other people who are like my sister or who are friends with her is amazing and heartwarming. Just to see the smile on someone’s face who gets remembered at Christmas is the greatest joy at this time of the year.

Alex Singleton is a linebacker with the Grey Cup champion Calgary Stampeders.

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