Cedar Hill Middle school students are basking in the glow of giving.
The schoolB次元官网网址檚 month-long fundraising drive pulled in more than 130 boxes of non-perishable food donations and $5,000 in cash for the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, just in time for Christmas.
B次元官网网址淲e all focus on the spirit of generosity and that is the value and virtue we are trying instil in students,B次元官网网址� said school principal Tom Aerts.
B次元官网网址�(They) leave our school and move on to other schools and hopefully take with them that socially responsible aspect of their personality.B次元官网网址�
Operation Snowball, aptly named after the snowball effect the fundraiser has developed over the programB次元官网网址檚 13-year run, includes a school-wide food drive, coin drive, open house and craft fair and two musical concerts.
Students rolled tens of thousands of coins by hand, made arts and crafts and even went house-to-house collecting food items to top the 101 boxes of food and $2,000 raised in 2011.
B次元官网网址淲e feel really good about what we have accomplished and $5,000 is tremendous,B次元官网网址� Aerts continued. B次元官网网址淚t is more than two and a half times what we raised before.B次元官网网址�
AertsB次元官网网址� said the operation that started with just four or five boxes of food and no cash donations has built a strong following in the Saanich community, but this yearB次元官网网址檚 results surprised even him.
B次元官网网址淲e always established our goals before the events start but we always try to push those goals so it is a bit of a challenge and not too easy,B次元官网网址� Aerts said. B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 think we would bring in that much money. It was heartwarming to see the students come together and see the great energy around it B次元官网网址� it was almost every grade, every classroom and every student.B次元官网网址�
Cedar Hill Grade 7 student Katie Berglund entered her second year at the school looking forward to Operation Snowball and said the spirit of giving to the less fortunate is good for everyone involved.
B次元官网网址淚t is a great feeling to know you are helping other people,B次元官网网址� the 12-year-old said. B次元官网网址淚 have so much and some people donB次元官网网址檛 have anything. Giving to others is the best feeling in the world.B次元官网网址�
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