Wilma Kenny and Jenna Leslie | Nov 03, 2016


and a challenge for the High School next door

A long parade of costumed children from Loughborough Public School trudged through Sydenham last Monday on a special mission. Each carried an item to leave at Southern Frontenac Community Service’s Food bank.

Their donations represented the culmination of a two-week campaign organized and administered by two grade eight students, Alexis Flear and Cassi Yeatman.

“We were looking for some kind of project to help the community,” said Alexis.

One of their teachers suggested the food bank, and the girls went into high gear. They got in touch with Vicki English the food bank coordinator, obtained lists of the food items most needed, passed their enthusiasm along to the school community, and organized the food into boxes as it rolled in. The LPS teachers offered a pizza lunch for the classroom with the most donations. When the piles of boxes and bags threatened to block the main hallway, food bank volunteers came with a truck. The final count was over half a ton of food, with an estimated value of $3,000. “Grade eights usually do special projects,” said Cassi, “but we hadn’t expected such a great response!”

“I’ve never seen anything like it this time of year,” said English.

As a thank-you, English and her team of volunteers handed out treats from SFCSC to the 350 or so trick-or-treaters who came through the village Monday evening.

LPS Vice Principal John Mooney sees a lot of value in giving students leading roles in projects like this one. “We try to teach them how to be become organized and active… not just work horses,” he said, “the best way to learn is by actually doing.”

According to Mooney, a part of the curriculum for young students is to learn more about their community. Events like these do just that: they give students the opportunity to have an active role in doing something good and learning a bit more about their own community. “We really want to give students the opportunity to be a part of their community,” he said.

According to Mooney, this is certainly not the end of fundraising at LPS and there will be at least one more food drive to take place this year.

Meanwhile, Cassi and Alexis both grinned when they’re asked what their next project will be.

“Maybe a school dance: we’ll let you know!”

Next up - SHS

Two Sydenham High School students are challenging students at their school in the donate with a “One Bag Challenge” that is now under way

Student organizers Cheyenne Rattray and Jillian Bandy, say that Sydenham High School students are being asked to donate a bag of food to the food bank, and then challenge their peers to do the same through social media, much like the Ice Bucket Challenge.

“There are many people who access the food bank, some who rely on it regularly, and others who find themselves in a time of crisis,” says Rattray. “Even if students can only donate a few items, we want them to post about it on social media, to raise awareness that hunger happens in our town too, not just bigger cities,” says Bandy “and other students will respond to the challenge, and we hope it keeps going and going.” She adds that students can tag their post with #SydHS1bagchallenge.

The one bag challenge food drive at Sydenham High School ends on Monday, November 14.

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