🎄🎅 💝 Local Family Support Charities

There are many local organizations that provide support to families and children in our community. Funded mostly through grants and donations, their teams work hard to provide support to those in need. We are incredibly lucky to have their support available locally.

If supporting charities is part of your holiday traditions, please consider making a donation to one of the local organizations listed below who are making a big impact on families in need in our community.

❤️ Barrie Food Bank - The Barrie Food Bank supports over 7,000 individuals each month! 37% of clients served are children. As more families turn to the Barrie Food Bank, every dollar and food item donated directly supports those struggling to put food on their tables. Contributions will fund essential, high-demand items, such as fresh meat, dairy, and produce, and fill gaps in pantry staples. Learn More.

❤️ Youth Haven - Among many other services, Youth Haven provides transition support to help youth start living independently. The transitional housing program helps youth develop real-life skills in a supportive and caring environment, giving them the tools they need to succeed living in their own home. Learn More.

❤️ Big Brothers & Sisters of Barrie - Many young people struggle with societal barriers and face adversities such as mental health issues, family violence, identity issues or poor living conditions. BBBS provides support through individual and group mentoring relationships among adults and youth. Mentoring is an important way to give youth experience with these essential back-and-forth relationships, developing them into healthy young people better able to deal with and overcome life’s adversities. Learn More.

❤️ Women & Children's Shelter of Barrie - Provides shelter and support services to abused women and children in our community. Serving over 1,500 women and children annually, the Women and Children’s Shelter helps them end the cycle of violence and start a brighter future. Learn More.

❤️ Seasons Centre for Grieving Children - Provides peer to peer support for children and their caregivers who are grieving the death of an immediate family member. Learn More.

🃏 ♠️♥️ ♦️♣️ Holiday Family Games

The holidays are the perfect time for fun family games! Here are a few simple, engaging and fun card games you can play with the whole family. They are fun and also help kids develop skills like memory, quick thinking and strategy. 

Go Fish (2 to 6 Players)

Objective: Collect the most sets of four cards of the same rank.

1. Deal 5 cards to each player (or 7 for 2 players). The rest form a draw pile.

2. Players take turns asking another player for a specific rank (e.g., "Do you have any 7s?").

   • If the other player has the card, they must hand over all cards of that rank. The asking player takes another turn.

   • If not, the player says "Go Fish," and the asking player draws a card from the pile.

3. When a player collects all four cards of one rank, they place the set in front of them.

4. The game ends when all sets are collected. The player with the most sets wins.

Crazy Eights (2 to 5 players)

Objective: Be the first to get rid of all your cards.

1. Deal 5 cards to each player (7 for 2 players). The rest form a draw pile, and the top card starts the discard pile.

2. Players take turns matching the top card by number or suit.

3. Eights are wild cards; they can be played on any card, and the player chooses the next suit.

4. If a player cannot play, they must draw a card from the pile. If the draw pile runs out, reshuffle the discard pile.

5. The first player to discard all their cards wins.

Slapjack (2 to 6 players)

Objective: Win all the cards by slapping Jacks as they appear.

1. Deal the entire deck evenly among players. Players do not look at their cards but keep them face down in a pile.

2. Players take turns flipping the top card of their pile onto the center stack.

3. When a Jack is flipped, the first player to slap it wins the stack.

4. If someone slaps a card that's not a Jack, they must give one card from their pile to the player who flipped the card.

5. The game ends when one player has all the cards.

🎤 💃 School of Rock: The Musical

Join the talented performers from the Moving Art Family for School of Rock

: The Musical! Moving Arts is a performing arts training facility that offers everyone from ages 3 to 103 the opportunity to experience, train and perform drama and dance.

They are proud to present their junior and triple threat students in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s School of Rock: The Musical!

⌚️ Friday evening, Saturday afternoon and evening, Sunday afternoon and evening.

📍 Moving Arts Centre @ 125 Ann Street

🥘 Recipe of the Week: Easy, No Fuss Turkey Recipe

Thinking of making a turkey this Christmas? Try this fool-proof easy to make turkey recipe that has all the flavour and juiciness you could want! It’s the perfect centrepiece for your Christmas feast.

🥕🥒 Eat Better & Save Time with Eat Impact

Save money on your grocery bill by getting perfectly fresh surplus and imperfect produce delivered. Customize your box with your favourite fruits and veg and relax while they source, pack and deliver your box right to your door. Eat Impact sources your produce from local farmers and distributors to build a more sustainable food system that is flexible, customizable and wont break the bank!

All Mom Scoop subscribers can get 50% off their first box by using coupon code SCOOP at checkout.

🗞️ Local Good News Stories

🏒 ‘Nothing like it’: Raucous crowds to take over Sadlon Arena for Kempenfelt Cup. Read more.

🦅 For science: Tiffin Centre to host annual bird court. Read more.

🏐 Net gains: Girls volleyball team eyes top of the provincial pack. Read more.

👨‍👩‍👦 Shopping spree brightens the Christmas season for children. Read more.

🥊 ‘Hard work paid off’: Local boxer brings home Canadian title. Read more.

🧸 Toys for Tickets raises more than $4,100 in toys for local kids. Read more.

🤶 Record number of families to be helped by Barrie & District Christmas Cheer. Read more.

 🌆 What’s Happenin’

Friday

🎅 Friday Harbour Holiday Market - 5 to 8 p.m. Learn More.

🌟 Magic of Lights @ Springwater Provincial Park - 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Get Tickets.

🎥 Friday Night Flicks : Home Alone @ Painswick Library - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Learn More.

🎨 Canvas & Creativity Holiday Paint Night @ Five Points Theatre - 6:30 to 9 p.m. Get Tickets.

💃 School of Rock Musical @ Moving Arts Centre - 7 to 9 p.m. Get Tickets.

Saturday

🔔 Painting wooden bell ornaments @ Maclaren Art Centre - 10 a.m. to noon. Get Tickets.

🌲 Winter Solstice Forest Bathing Walk @ Sunnidale Park - 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Get Tickets.

💃 School of Rock Musical @ Moving Arts Centre - 3 to 5 p.m. & 7 to 9 p.m. Get Tickets.

🎅 Holiday Market @ Friday Harbour - noon to 8 p.m. Learn More.

🎄 Holiday Village @ Drysdale Farm - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn More.

🌟 Magic of Lights @ Springwater Provincial Park - 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Get Tickets

🎸 Jamie Drake & The Thunderstealers @ The Queens Hotel - 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Learn more.

Sunday

💃 School of Rock Musical @ Moving Arts Centre - 3 to 5 p.m. & 7 to 9 p.m. Get Tickets

🎨 Family Sundays @ the Maclaren Art Centre - 1 pm to 2 pm or 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm. Theme: Snowflake Stamping. Learn more.

🎅 Holiday Market @ Friday Harbour - noon to 6 p.m. Learn More.

🎄 Drysdale Holiday Village @ Drysdale Farm - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn More.

🌟 Magic of Lights @ Springwater Provincial Park - 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Get Tickets.

🌨️ 🌤️  Barrie Weekend Weather

Friday -4° 🌡️ -15° l 🌨️ l 1 to 3 cm ❄️ l 15 kmh 🌬️ 

Saturday -15° 🌡️ -20° l 🌤️ l < 1 cm ❄️ l 18 kmh 🌬️ 

Sunday - 13° 🌡️ -13° l 🌤️ l < 1 cm ❄️ l 11 kmh 🌬️ 

Thank You ❤️ 🍦 

That’s it for this edition of Mom Scoop. Please help us spread the word and invite your local mom friends to subscribe! Forward the link below to help them get started.

Have a great weekend!