P.E.I. Association for Newcomers' Christmas party keeps on growing

The Christmas party put on by theThe P.E.I. Association for Newcomers to Canadais growing every year.

The group expects that will be the case in 2016 too, with 250 Syrian refugees coming to the province over the next few months.

The association's annual holiday gathering was held Thursday night at the community hall in the Jack Blanchard Family Centre in Charlottetown.

The party used to take place in the association's office, said executive director Craig Mackie.

"But the numbers that kept showing up forced us into increasingly larger venues, and I would say this is, perhaps, the most diverse group we've ever had come out to one of our Christmas open houses."

Mackie said the increasing number of party participantsmeans that more newcomers are choosing to stay in P.E.I.

Association staff are busy preparing to welcome therefugees who are coming to the Island under the federal government's initiative to resettle 25,000 Syrians in Canada by the end of February.

The group has recruited more than 250 volunteers and is making sure schools and the health system are prepared.

The newcomers association is using the old Coast Guard warehouse in Charlottetown to collect household items for the refugees.

Thedonation centre has only been open four days and it's almost full.

In fact, it will close temporarily to donations on Dec.19 to keep up with inventory.

"[Islanders are] just ready and willing to help in whatever way they can so whether it's through a spoken word or the physical donation that they're leaving here for Syrian families it's just unbelievable," said Hannah Jones, coordinator of the Welcome Project.

The warehouse will be transformed into a showroom where families can choose furniture on their own.

"That's something that they maybe they haven't had a lot of choice where they're coming from, Now they're going to have a lot of choices in Canada," said Mackie.

The association said it's next big project is figuring out how best to use the 250 people who have volunteered to help when the refugees arrive.

Knowing that support the community supports them is essential, say newcomers like Ali Siadat.

"It's so important to feel that there are people around them here that smile to them, say welcome to them and try to help them as much as they can," he said.