Empty Stocking Fund: Comedian e-book collector digs deep for annual draw

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Ron Trayling nonetheless has the primary comedian e-book he ever purchased.

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“It was Silver Surfer No. 1, and I used to be seven or eight years outdated,” the 66-year-old collector stated. “I’ve gone tons and tons of comics. They’re in tote luggage, in bins, on the partitions.”

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However his assortment isn’t simply accumulating mud. Yearly, the Rogers Sugar worker pulls some points from his huge trove to supply as prizes within the firm’s annual Christmas raffle.

The raffle started three a long time in the past, by likelihood. Retired pipefitter Mike Martin and welder Bryon Sinclair arrange a Christmas tree within the waterfront refinery. They seen that their co-workers have been taking sweet canes from the tree and leaving a donation.

With the corporate matching the funds, Martin and Sinclair donated the cash to The Province’s Empty Stocking Fund. As folks started leaving baked items, home made wine and different gadgets below the tree, the custom grew to become a raffle with numerous prizes. Now retired in Ontario, Martin sends steel sculptures annually. One other retiree, carpenter Invoice Day, contributes furnishings.

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Funds raised by ticket gross sales proceed to go to the Empty Stocking Fund, which helps teams within the Decrease Mainland feed and dress needy households.

“Final 12 months we did $11,000,” stated Lisa Harry, who’s the well being and security coordinator on the refinery. “I feel the 12 months earlier than was comparable.”

Harry describes herself as “the rallier.” The plant employs upwards of 180 folks, and everybody will get concerned, from gross sales workers to folks in transport and receiving to contractors.

“I don’t begin bugging anybody till Nov. 12,” she stated.

Shoppers have contributed items like hockey tickets and resort stays.

The draw takes place the weekend earlier than Christmas utilizing names in a drum and a spinning wheel. As soon as all the prizes are gone, everybody’s title goes again within the drum for a last draw to find out who will get the tax receipt.

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Trayling, who additionally contributes comics to an organization golf event he organizes, shows comedian books year-round within the cafeteria.

“I’ve a sense for what the fellows like down right here,” he stated. “Numerous them like Spider-Man, Batman, X-Males. If somebody comes alongside and says, ‘Oh, I like that, possibly my son would love it,’ I say, ‘High-quality, take it, I’ll simply exchange it with one thing else.’ ”

A few of his co-workers need the comedian books for themselves.

“I’ve given numerous stuff to guys through the years who’ve arrange their very own man-cave. I’ll get an outdated comedian out of the gathering and put it right into a shadowbox body and begin these guys off. They usually maintain coming again.”

Trayling credit John LeBlanc, proprietor of Comics Scene in Surrey, with serving to out: “He’s donated fairly a little bit of stuff. This 12 months he gave us some T-shirts, some Pokemon and a few comics.”

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His favorite character is Spider-Man, his favorite artists Jack Kirby and Todd McFarlane. Trayling additionally attracts, and shows a few of his comics-based work within the cafeteria.

A few of the comics he contributes are professionally graded, a dear course of that provides to their worth.

“Each as soon as in awhile I’ll throw in one thing price over 100 bucks,” he stated. “I imply, I’m not going to take it with me. It’s one thing I love to do. I prefer to see folks completely happy. There are lots of people struggling.”

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