By: Jen Zoratti

For 99 years, the Christmas Cheer Board has been working hard to ensure everyone has a happy holiday, and for 49 of those years, Kai Madsen, the charity's executive director, has been a part of making that miracle happen.

"I thought about retiring, but making it to 50 and 100 would be really neat," he says from the Cheer Board's new location on St. James Street, acknowledging the dual significance of 2019.

Madsen's work is not easy, but it's rewarding, and it's made lighter by the generosity of Winnipeggers who help put food on tables and presents under trees by volunteering both their time and money. Making a donation to the Christmas Cheer Board has become a holiday tradition for many people.

Supporting the Christmas Cheer Board is a holiday tradition for us here at the Winnipeg Free Press, too. Today, we're kicking off our fifth annual Miracle on Mountain fundraising campaign that collects monetary donations for the Christmas Cheer Board to pay for food and other items packed into hampers.

"The tradition of our readers stepping up to help the Christmas Cheer Board is part of what makes the holiday season so special in our city," says Free Press editor Paul Samyn. "We are delighted to once again ask our audience to make a Miracle On Mountain so we can make a difference for so many at Christmas."