A group of young philanthropists from John Stubbs Memorial school recently had the chance to find out the true meaning of a helping hand.

The schoolB次元官网网址檚 peer counselling group, made up of 13- and 14-year-olds, helped out at Our Place Society in downtown Victoria, serving desserts and singing songs for patrons of the free meal service.

B次元官网网址淭hey were smiling and they all looked really happy and it was just really nice to see we actually had that affect on people,B次元官网网址� said Grade 8 student Jacqueline Hughes.

The group, spearheaded by school counsellor Adrien Brown, is a means to promote volunteer work in students and to give them opportunities to help in the community.

The students sold lollipops and held a coin drive at school to raise money to buy food for Our Place, and then the students went to help serve the food.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 wonderful to engage. The energy totally changes in the place,B次元官网网址� Brown said. B次元官网网址淧eople often just come, grab their food, eat and leave, but when weB次元官网网址檙e there, they stay.B次元官网网址�

The students come early to help set up and then typically stay as late as theyB次元官网网址檙e allowed to, interacting with the people and singing songs.

For some students the experience can be eye-opening.

B次元官网网址淎t first theyB次元官网网址檙e a little self-conscious because theyB次元官网网址檙e not sure,B次元官网网址� Brown said. B次元官网网址淚f theyB次元官网网址檝e been sheltered, thatB次元官网网址檚 not something theyB次元官网网址檝e experienced. But pretty quickly, because the adults respond so well to them and are so appreciative B次元官网网址� the energy changes.B次元官网网址�

Aubry Williams, Grade 8, said he served ice cream to a man who crossed himself and looked into the studentB次元官网网址檚 eyes as a way of saying thank you.

B次元官网网址淭hat just blew me away. He was so thankful for something so small.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚t really makes you think that not everyone can have everything that they want,B次元官网网址� Hughes said. B次元官网网址淚t really sort of grounds you and makes you realize that the world is not necessarily an easy place to be.B次元官网网址�