Local teens at Delta Secondary School recently demonstrated the true spirit of the holidays by participating in the school’s Twenty Days of Giving Campaign. Although contributions are still being counted, the school estimates it has collected food items, gift cards, toiletries, cash and cheques to the value of more than $17,000. These contributions will be used to make some incredible hampers for 25 local families, with enough to spare for some contributions to be passed along to the South Delta Food Bank.
“This was truly a team effort,” said Colleen Blatz, co-organizer of the initiative. “We had participation from classes throughout our building. The Interact Club and Student Government took on a leadership role in collecting and organizing the donations, and many teachers, counsellors and administrators also spent countless hours of their time with this event. It goes to show that even though we are in a challenging time right now, when we work together, we can achieve so much positivity. It also reminds us of the true spirit of the holidays and how it feels so much better to give to others.”
Some former graduates dropped off donations and local businesses donated to the project as well. The drive-thru food drive organized by the Interact Club on December 1 resulted in more than 1,300 food items alone.
“It has been an amazing couple of weeks at Delta Secondary,” said Graham Harkley, co-organizer. “People were so generous and seemed to enjoy helping so much that it really made me glad to work at such a great school in such a caring community. I hope that these donations bring some relief to families in our community who are struggling. It is a tough time for a lot of people and we wish them happiness in the coming months.”
“I really want to thank our staff, students, families and the local community for their generosity over the past three weeks,” said Principal John Pavao. “The holidays are a difficult time of year for many people, and this hands-on experience has brought our Pacer Community together to help those who would benefit the most from this support.”
