By Jordan Copp, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter COAST REPORTER

While trees were falling and power lines were breaking as the Sunshine Coast was being buffeted by high winds earlier this week, a school field trip took an unexpected turn.

Monday morning, all 110 students from Madeira Park Elementary School along with staff and parent chaperones set out for RavenB次元官网网址檚 Cry Theatre in Sechelt to watch The Bad Robot.

They got to the theatre just before 10 a.m. and were about 20 minutes into the movie when school principal Nicole Zilkie said they started getting messages that the school had no power and cellphone communication was also down.

With no way for the school to communicate with parents, Zilkie stepped into the lobby to make some calls and gather information.

B次元官网网址淲e were supposed to be heading home in about half an hour when we got the first message that the highway was totally closed, and the first information we had was that it was going to be anywhere from one to five hours before it was open,B次元官网网址� she said, adding that they were originally scheduled to leave the theatre at 11:30 a.m. to get back to the school for lunch.

She said that Kevin McGarry from RavenB次元官网网址檚 Cry Theatre immediately stepped up and started proposing solutions.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 like, we can start another movie, we can play some trivia games on screen. He said weB次元官网网址檝e got lots of options that we can put up and do for the kids,B次元官网网址� Zilkie said. B次元官网网址淎nd then his wife came and said, `Yes, whatever you guys need, weB次元官网网址檙e just so happy to help, and however we can support, weB次元官网网址檙e here for you.B次元官网网址滲次元官网网址�

On top of all this, the theatre offered to cancel its 7 p.m. show that evening if the school needed more time to stay.

With a place to stay solved, Zilkie said the B次元官网网址渘ext big hurdleB次元官网网址� was now they had 110 students who had no lunch because they were planning to be back at the school by then.

Looking at which stores still had power, Zilkie went over the McDonaldB次元官网网址檚 to explain the situation.

B次元官网网址淚 spoke to the manager there, and she was also completely lovely, and I just explained to her that we had 110 students who didnB次元官网网址檛 have food, and was there any way that they could help out,B次元官网网址� Zilkie said. B次元官网网址淎nd she said,B次元官网网址� Absolutely, weB次元官网网址檙e more than happy to help whatever we can do.B次元官网网址滲次元官网网址�

School staff put in an order for 110 kidsB次元官网网址� meals which McDonaldB次元官网网址檚 said they could have ready in 30 minutes, which Zilkie said was B次元官网网址渁stounding.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭hey put a total rush on it. It was all hands on deck. I watched, I went in, and they were all working on it, there was like, six or seven staff back there just trying to get the food out,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淚 know it really messed with their lunchtime service like they were really backed up and put a lot of stress on the staff to try to get this huge extra order out on such short notice, but they did it, which we were so appreciative of,B次元官网网址� Zilkie said.

The movie ended and the staff explained to the students they were stuck there and that lunch was on its way. Zilkie said the parent chaperones went over to the Independent Grocer and set up a snack table for the students while they waited for lunch.

With some students as young as four years old, Zilkie explained that just getting on a bus and going to a theatre is already a big day and that staff were careful to keep the messaging positive as major changes to whatB次元官网网址檚 expected can be confusing and upsetting.

B次元官网网址淲e just made sure that they knew that their parents were safe, and that their parents knew that they were safe and that we were in really good hands with the RavenB次元官网网址檚 Cry Theatre,B次元官网网址� she said.

The students got to eat their lunch in the theatre seats and then began another movie until about 4 p.m. when they said they received word the road was open.

The group ultimately arrived back at Madeira Park Elementary shortly after 5 p.m., what Zilkie called a B次元官网网址渓ong, tiring day for those little guys.B次元官网网址�

She said that while it could have been a hard, stressful day for everybody involved if not for the support they had from the community.

Zilkie said it was an B次元官网网址渆asy, gentle day,B次元官网网址� at the school a day later. He said they had quite a few students who she thinks were B次元官网网址渏ust exhausted after all the excitement yesterday and have chosen to stay home.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e had multiple kids come up to me and say theyB次元官网网址檒l never forget it, like it turned into a real adventure B次元官网网址� what could have been a major inconvenience and a huge worry for these little guys turned into something really fun and exciting, just because of all the support we received from the community.B次元官网网址�