Skip to content

New Westminster and Port Moody featured in CKNW Kids’ Fund fundraiser

These hand-painted Christmas balls feature moments from New West and Port Moody histories
caps-christmas
Sebastian Miraglia, left, and Norm Baker of Cap’s Bicycles Port Moody. Cap's is selling Christmas balls at its New West and Port Moody stores to raise money for the CKNW Kids’ Fund.

The Hyack Parade, maypole dancing and lacrosse are featured on a new limited edition Christmas ornament that’s being sold to raise funds to support B.C children.

Cap’s bicycle shops in New West and Port Moody are once again selling Christmas ornaments featuring five different designs to raise money for the CKNW Kids’ Fund. The business has once again teamed up with artist Hilary Morris to create artwork for the decorations.

“The New Westminster ball is featuring the heritage buildings and Columbia Street. We've got hand-painted images of the Hyack parade, with the May Queen suite in a convertible. And it's all heading towards Queen's Park where there's a maypole dancing with beautifully coloured ribbons and a lacrosse game,” said Gordon Hobbis of Cap’s Bicycle Shops.

Last year’s New Westminster ball featured tugboats, the tin soldier, the waterfront, heritage homes, a paddlewheeler and the Wow New Westminster W that was formerly located in Westminster Pier Park.

“This is the second New West ball,” Hobbis said. “Last year's ball was a view of New Westminster from Surrey. This is more in New Westminster.”

Three previous design – a polar bear, Prospect Point and Whistler – are back by popular demand. Along with the new New Westminster ball, a new design features Port Moody.

“We sold out very early. It went well,” Hobbis said of last year’s New West ball. “We had enough inspiration to include, in this year's selection, a Port Moody ball which has the CP train coming into the Port Moody Museum, with Rocky Point Park and Golden Spike Days and some cancan dancers.”

The designs are hand painted on the inside of a three-inch glass ball, and come in a satin-lined box, said a news release.

“These are really nice Christmas gift. They come in a red silk box, ready to give,” Hobbis said. “They travel really well, so they're really shippable. If you've got to send something to family and friends far away, this is a nice memento of your hometown.”

Cap’s will donate 100 per cent of the total sales of the decorations to the CKNW Kids’ Fund. Last year’s Christmas fundraiser raised more than $10,000 for the cause.

When Cartwirght Jewelers closed in Uptown New Westminster in 2020, Hobbis asked owner Susan Cartwright Coates if he could carry on with her business’s longstanding holiday fundraiser for the CKNW Kids’ Fund. Before closing, the jewelry store had raised more than $170,000 for the CKNW Kids’ Fund (formerly the CKNW Orphans Fund) through the sales of ornaments and stuffed animals every holiday season.

“She was excited for it to carry on,” Hobbis said. “The balls are $14.99, and we donate that all the proceeds to the CKNW Kids’ Fund.”

The decorations are available at Cap’s Bicycle Shop in New Westminster (434A East Columbia St.) and Cap’s Electric Bike Shop in Port Moody (2840 St. Johns St.) , as well as online at www.allez.shop (search for Christmas). They’re $14.99 each, but people will receive $10 off if they buy five.

The CKNW Kids fund supports vulnerable kids in B.C. who have physical, mental and social challenges.

Follow Theresa McManus on Twitter @TheresaMcManus
Email tmcmanus@newwestrecord.ca