The 52nd annual Santa's Helpers telethon took place on Sunday on CHCO. During the over four hour telethon that featured choir performances from schools across Southwest New Brunswick, viewers from across the province and beyond called in pledges to help local families in need over the holidays. Thanks to these pledges as well as some generous donations from local businesses and organizations, the telethon raised $71,364 on Sunday with more donations still coming in. Santa's Helpers will help bring Christmas to 476 local children and 221 families this year. 

St. Stephen hosted its annual Santa's Claus Parade on Friday with floats travelling down King Street and up Milltown Boulevard. Guy R. Day won the coveted award for best overall float. CHCO's John Higgins and Patty Anderson co-hosted our coverage of the parade, which you can find on all of CHCO's channels later this week.

Efforts to restore Swallowtail Lighthouse on Grand Manan are getting a big boost this month with help from the JT Clark Family Foundation. John Clark of St. Andrews challenged Swallowtail Keepers Society to raise $25,000 in donations before December 15 towards the exterior restoration of the lighthouse. If they could raise the funds, Clark's foundation would match their efforts with a $25,000 donation. Well, that goal has been met with the Keeper's Society raising more than $45,000 in the month of November alone. The exterior restoration of Swallowtail will cost approximately $300,000, so there's still a need to raise more funds. Visit swallowtaillighthouse.com and click on donate now to give.

Finally, heroes come in all ages and sizes. On Thursday, Jackson Leavitt of St. Andrews got his Make-A-Wish Foundation wish, and he selflessly wished for his entire school, Vincent Massey Elementary, to receive new sensory toys and games. Jackson, you continue to inspire us to look beyond our own challenges to care for others, and that's what this holiday season is all about.