12 Days of Gratitude

We know this Christmas may not be shaping up like you had imagined. It’s a season normally centred around visits with extended family. Grandparents come to visit. Neighbours hold open houses to celebrate the season. And there are plenty of events to enjoy in large groups. 

While many of those activities aren’t on the table for 2020, we are here to remind you there is still a lot to be grateful for! 

We invite you to join us through the holiday season as we celebrate our 12 Days of Gratitude. We’ll be sharing a post each day from now until Christmas Eve on our social media platforms, but we’ve compiled the full list here as well. 

We want to hear from you too! Share with us on social using #wearegrateful or comment below with what you are grateful for. 

  1. Our community. Fort McMurray and our surrounding neighbours - we are a community that is resilient, triumphant and incredibly inspirational. We are grateful for you and the support you continue to provide SOS on a daily basis.

  2. Our team. The team we have assembled to support Some Other Solutions is dynamic, powerful, engaging and exciting! Because of them, we have been able to keep operating through COVID-19 and navigate through continuous change and protocols.

  3. Mentors. Mentoring has an enormous impact not just on the mentee, but also the entire community. 13 per cent of mentees are more likely to donate to charity and they spend 30 per cent more time volunteering than others.

  4. Children and youth. Throughout this year, the young people in our community have shown us their resiliency and their ability to adapt to change. They remain energetic and enthusiastic and we love them for that!

  5. Books and reading. It may sound like something so simple, but the ability to read and have access to books allows us to discover different worlds from the comfort of our own home. 

  6. Technology. Technology has allowed us to stay connected through 2020. Whether it be through virtual learning programs, telehealth counselling, streaming workouts and video chats with family and friends, technology has kept us together while apart. 

  7. The outdoors. While visiting friends and extended family indoors is more difficult, many of us have found our way to hiking trails and viewpoints to not only get some fresh air, but also for some safe socializing with loved ones. 

  8. Teachers. Teachers play a monumental role in our lives as they educate our children and help build the foundation of our future leaders. But a teacher can also be your grandmother who is teaching you to cook, or our neighbour who teaches you to build a fence. A teacher can be anyone who helps you learn something new.

  9. Healthcare workers. They have been working non-stop for almost the entire year, fighting COVID-19 on the front lines, saving lives, comforting family members and being incredible heroes. We could not get through this global health crisis without our healthcare workers.

  10. Our donors and supporters. Our donors have stepped up this year to support us in ways we couldn’t have even imagined. From community fundraisers to private and corporate donations and everything in between, we have been able to pivot and provide virtual programming and important counselling sessions directly as a result of this support. 

  11. Family. Being part of a family, in whatever form that takes for you, is something very special and generates a powerful kind of love that can keep us moving forward in the darkest times. 

  12. Hope. Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed with hope or you can only find a sliver - grasp onto it! There is research to show that having hope for the future can build our resilience. It can also reduce anxiety, trauma and depression. 

From all of us at Some Other Solutions, we wish you and your friends and family a safe and hopeful holiday season.


Melanie Nicholson