Annual Free Hugs Boxing Day Event.

For the past number of years a group of friends, acquaintances and strangers get together at The Kelowna Sails on Boxing Day to give out Free Hugs.

“If you think about it, there are some people who hate Christmas as they are estranged from their family”, says organizer Angie Clowry. “They haven’t had a hug, a smile or a pay it forward drink from Starbuck’s or Tim Horton’s as they can’t afford their own. They are alone and too proud to ask anyone for an invite to a turkey dinner, or an open house or even a walk through city park. And we give our Free Hugs or Free Love with no expectations.

We hug doctors, mom’s, children and athletes and those who are taking in their Boxing Day walk, run, bike or sleigh ride right at the sails. We have some people who stop their cars, honk their horns who turn around and get their free hugs from us. There is always a heart tugging story of a love someone has lost, a person who hasn’t been hugged in a long time or loved upon, let alone given a gift over the holidays. And of course we line up and we all hug them. And I for one usually have a good cry with them.

I think Christmas has gotten to be more about giving a good enough gift to show how big our love is. Instead of just looking at those we love, being in the moment and being grateful that we have a moment. Many of our friends and family haven’t made it to THIS moment as they are now gone.

I believe at our core, we all want quality time, in the moment to feel loved and to give love that in my opinion is what makes a good memory. Whatever religion, tradition or solstice ritual you follow, Love is really at the core of it; Agape Love in fact!

It’s AMAZING to see people’s reactions to our Free Hugs. Some will say they were here the previous year and enjoy their Boxing Day walk to meet up with us for the Free Hugs and some run like heck the other way!!

This event started out as a way to salute a friend Wayne Cobb, after he died tragically in a motorcycle accident, while saving his son’s life. I am unsure if there is any bigger love than that. And we honor his love for his family and friend by continuing the tradition his best friend JoeyStychin ignited in his memory.

The Free Hugs crew hope you do something to Pay It Forward as Wayne loved to do. Please consider paying Kindness, Happiness, Love or a Free Hug forward in your own way.

And Kelowna’s Free Hug’s Crew, welcomes you out for a FREE HUG 12noon at The Sails in Kelowna on Boxing Day.

When Wayne Cobb passed away it was requested to do a Pay It Forward Act & we continue that tradition. http://www.castanet.net/obituaries/COBB,_Wayne/