FALL RIVER: A local school community is being praised for a major show of generosity and organization after collecting and shipping off more than 2,300 food donations to the Lions Christmas Express for community distribution.
The two-week food drive at Georges P. Vanier Junior High was a school-wide effort, with Grade 8 food and nutrition students playing a leading role from start to finish.
In the weeks leading up to the drive, students created informative posters and visited Grade 6 and 7 classrooms to promote the initiative and educate peers about food insecurity in Nova Scotia.
Once the drive was underway, the Grade 8 students took on daily responsibilities that mirrored a real-world food bank operation.
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Students collected classroom donations, checked items for expiry dates and damaged packaging, counted and recorded totals on a tracking bulletin board, and sorted food by type into designated bins.
The effort culminated this week when members of the Lions Xmas Express arrived with four vehicles to collect the donations.
Students helped load the cars before the food was shipped off for distribution within the community.
Support throughout the project was provided by SchoolsPlus Student Support Worker Karri Verge, who worked closely with students during the planning, education, and collection stages of the drive.
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The initiative also extended beyond shelf-stable food items.
Students involved in the school’s after-school Kitchen Brigades cooking program prepared more than 25 litres of homemade soup, which was frozen and included for distribution.
Organizers say the project not only helped meet an immediate community need, but also gave students hands-on experience in teamwork, food safety, logistics, and social awareness — lessons that will last well beyond the final donation count.
Lockview High student council will also be holding a food drive this week for the Xmas Express.
(Information in this story was provided to The Laker News)
