As we start the new year, we look back on one of our favourite holiday traditions: the Gift of Warmth.
For more than a decade, Onward has shared seasonal cheer with residents by delivering a Gift of Warmth to every home. This past holiday season marked the fourth year that gift has been a pantry item from Twisted Canning Co., a one-woman operation from Langdon, a hamlet about 35 km east of Calgary.
For the past five summers, Tracy Forsyth Lundy has spent much of her time making jams, hot sauces and pickled items from produce supplied by local farmers. This year alone, Tracy made 2,300 jars of pickles, tomato sauce and applesauce for the Gifts of Warmth, using 1,500 pounds of cucumbers, 10 pounds of dill, 600 pounds of tomatoes, 40 pounds of onions, 20 pounds of garlic and 650 pounds of apples, all grown in southern Alberta.
Tracy learned how to preserve fruits and vegetables during summers spent as a young girl on her aunt's farm in Saskatchewan. The dill pickles and bread and butter pickles she produces for the Gifts of Warmth are made with her aunt's special recipe.
Her preserves start with basic flavours to which she adds an unexpected twist. She offers spicy, savoury and sweet product lines, including spicy mustards, sweet spreads and special dill carrots that, "for some reason, pregnant women love," she laughs.
Some Onward residents love her Gifts of Warmth so much they have become repeat customers. "It's always so nice to get calls from people telling you how much they enjoy your product and that they want to buy more," she says.
Tracy started producing the Gifts of Warmth because she has great respect for Onward's mission. "I really like what Onward is doing. They support so many individuals by providing affordable housing. It just feels great to give back."
Tracy believes canning is a "lost art form" and she's grateful to be able to create small-batch, custom flavours for special events. "My products offer something unique for special gifts for special moments. I just have so much fun with it."
This year's Gift of Warmth reflects what we value most at Onward: community partnerships that bring people together. Tracy's commitment to quality and giving back mirrors our own mission to provide well-cared-for homes where residents can thrive.
As we look ahead to another year of serving Calgary's affordable housing community, we're grateful for partners like Tracy who help make our residents' homes a little warmer.
