Giving is at the heart of the holiday season, fostering togetherness and spreading joy. That’s why Metro is shining a light on three extraordinary examples of those who embody the giving spirit this festive season.
Awarded the title of Metro Merrymakers, the Albertini family in Rockland, Shae London in Toronto, and Sudbury's Derek Durkac have gone above and beyond to create meaningful impacts in their communities.
Along with the Merrymaker title, Metro is giving them $15,000 in community donations to help their efforts go further this year. By covering essential costs, matching contributions and more, Metro is making this an unforgettable season of generosity.
So meet Ontario's three Metro Merrymakers, and donate to them yourself so their amazing work can help more people than ever.
The Albertini family: Turning holiday magic into community impact
The Albertini familyCourtesy of the Albertini family
The holidays come early each year for Rockland residents, thanks to the Albertini family. By mid-November, their home transforms into a dazzling display of over 60 inflatables and 40,000 lights, spreading joy to everyone who passes by.
As The Albertini Family's Christmas Display grew in size and popularity, the family's neighbour inspired them to raise funds for the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), and they raised an impressive $5,000.
"CHEO means a lot to us," said mom Megan, whose son Hayden has received care in the hospital over the years. "They’ve saved Hayden’s life multiple times, and our daughter is also there often."
The Albertini family's holiday lights displayCourtesy of the Albertini family
To support this family of Merrymakers, Metro is covering their hydro bill and advertising costs for their fundraiser. They're also kickstarting things with a $1,000 donation and matching all community donations for CHEO made on the Albertini’s page up to $1,000.
"They have turned their passion for Christmas lights into a way to give back to their community and support a cause that is close to their hearts," said Emily Jamieson, VP Corporate Philanthropy and Community Engagement at CHEO.
"We are so grateful for their dedication to the health of children and youth in our community."
To donate, visit The Albertini Family's Christmas Display fundraising page.
Shae London: Breaking down barriers through hot meals
Shae LondonCourtesy of Shae London
Shae London has been empowering Torontonians for over a decade through food, earning her place as a 2024 Metro Merrymaker for her tireless efforts to feed and connect with people at The Stop Community Food Centre.
Today, as Executive Director, she finds profound meaning in her work, viewing it not as a job but as her life’s purpose.
"Food brings people together and breaks down barriers," said Shae. "We always say our programs use food as a tool to welcome people into our spaces. Once they’re here, we can start addressing the bigger social challenges they may be facing."
This year, The Stop experienced a 32% rise in individuals served, stretching their resources as they hustled to feed everyone. Then, a six-month-long renovation required them to cover transportation costs for all community meals.
"We want to spend our money on feeding people, not moving people," Shae said.
Volunteers at The Stop Community Food CentreCourtesy of The Stop Community Food Centre.
To amplify Shae's effort and dedication, Metro is covering the transportation costs for The Stop’s holiday meal program, helping ensure that nearly 1,000 additional meals are served.
For Shae, being a Merrymaker means taking action year-round.
"Hunger doesn’t go away after the holidays — it doesn’t have a season," she said. "Engage in any way you can: donate, volunteer, host a food drive. Whatever you can do makes a difference for your local food bank or community."
To donate, visit The Stop Community Food Centre's website.
Derek Durkac: Lighting up hearts in Sudbury
Derek Durkac with his Festival of Lights binder.Courtesy of Derek Durkac
For 20 years, Derek Durkac has illuminated his Sudbury community with the magic of the Durkac Festival of Lights — a dazzling winter wonderland of multi-coloured lights and a cast of festive holiday characters.
"I started out small, just like everyone else, adding one reindeer, then two reindeers, then a sled and a little bit of lights here and there," Derek said. "And today, here I am: up to 50,000 lights!"
But the Durkac Festival of Lights is more than just a passion project. Over the years, Derek has turned it into a powerful fundraiser, collecting $10,000 and over 11,000 food items for the Edgar Burton Sudbury Christmas Food Drive.
A donation bin at the Durkac Festival of Lights.Courtesy of Derek Durkac
"People like Derek are just like Santa: they don't come around every day, but when they do, they bring magic to the entire community," said Owen Marcotte, a colleague and coordinator of the food drive.
To celebrate his incredible impact, Metro is kickstarting Derek's final donation drive with a contribution of over 3.5 times the food donations from 2023, bringing his lifetime total to more than 15,000 food items.
"Over the years, Derek’s Christmas light shows have brought great joy to Sudburians and their families, as well as opportunities to help the Sudbury Food Bank feed our region’s hungry," said Dan Xilon, Executive Director of Banque d’aliments Sudbury Food Bank.
"Derek has made a true difference in our community, and we are so pleased to see him recognized as a Metro Merrymaker."
To donate, visit the Edgar Burton Sudbury Christmas Food Drive’s website.
From hot holiday meal deliveries to shining local light displays, Derek Durkac, Shae London, and the Albertini family embody the true spirit of the season — bringing joy and making a meaningful impact in their communities.
If these heartwarming stories of giving back have inspired you, remember that you, too, can be a Metro Merrymaker.
Whether it’s spreading kindness in your local community to brighten someone’s holiday or supporting one of this year’s Merrymaker causes with a donation, your generosity can make all the difference.
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