Literally thousands of blankets and winter woolies were collected by Langley realtors during the 18th annual Realtors Care Blanket Drive, and will be circulated to the community's homeless and working poor this holiday season through the Salvation Army's Gateway of Hope.

Doesn't seem signficant since hundreds of real estate offices between Whistler and Hope served as drop-off points from Nov. 26 to Dec. 3, and in that short window of time enough donations were collected to help in excess of 19,000 people.

But the story that caught my personal attention was the donation of 38 bags of blankets and clothes from students at Langley's R.C. Garnett Elementary.

That's the first time in the history of the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board drive, that they've had a school jump aboard.

And those kids definitely jumped on in a big way.

Overall, Langley collected 239 bags this year, up significantly form 124 last year. But the real kudos need to go to those young kids who cared enough to make such a dramatic difference.

TIME FOR A PIZZA?

In less than a week, many of us will be overstuffed with turkey, ham, and all the traditional Christmas fixins - not to mention the consumption of mountains of baked goods and treats.

But heading into the holidays, a local company is stepping up to help the hungry while giving your tastebuds something not so traditional at Christmas.

Panago Pizza is partnering with the Langley Food Bank to help feed the hungry between Friday and Sunday of this week.

Each person who makes a purchase at one of the Langley area Panagos (downtown Langley City, Murrayville, Walnut Grove, Aldergrove, Willoughby, and even Cloverdale) on any of the three days will have a personal pizza certificate donated in their name to the local food bank.

Cool idea. Fill your own tummy and at the same time that of a financially strapped person in our community. And I can tell you that most food bank recipients would be delighted to have a switch from the hamper staples of pastas and rice.

Participating Panago restaurants are hoping to contribute 2,000 certificates to the Langley Food Bank this holiday season, to find out more about how to help, visit Panago.com.

SANTA GOES GREEN

Most residents of Langley will be visiting Willowbrook Shopping Centre this holiday season for some inevitable Christmas shopping.

But I have to take my hat off to the mall for rolling out a neat green initiative for the holidays.

Until Sunday, Dec. 23, parents and children alike can give a gift to the environment by recycling old, used electronic toys.

Not only is toy recycling smart, it's a great way of making space for new gifts from Santa (and others) - or so I'm telling myself and my granddaughter - whose collection of toys at our house is growing as rapidly as she is.

And according to the elves at the mall, this is also a sure-fire way to make sure people get on Santa's nice list.

Many different types of toys are being accepted, including plush textiles with electronics, metal or hard plastic toys with electronics, remote control vehicles, ride on vehicles, handheld game devices, and the list goes on.

Every electronic toy will be dismantled, the components sorted, and some of the pieces - we're told - will be made into new items.

If you have some electronic toys you need to get rid of, act fast and get them down to Willowbrook. There's a green recycling barrel at Santa's Court.

rhooper@langleyadvance.com