GORE BAY—Charles C. McLean Public School had a very successful food drive campaign, supporting Manitoulin Family Resources’ (MFR) 2017 Christmas Food Drive Campaign with the school collecting over 530 food items, toys and gifts.
“The generosity of students and their families was overwhelming,” said April Patterson, the Grade 6/7 teacher at C.C. McLean. “As a school community we were able to make an incredible donation to this important campaign and our students are able to feel proud and see that they can make a difference to many local families on Manitoulin and the North Shore. It was a great leadership opportunity for the kids and they very much enjoyed taking part. We look forward to taking part again next year.”
C.C. McLean was one of four Island elementary schools taking part in the Stuff A Bus Challenge for MFR’s 2017 Christmas Food Drive. Also participating was Assiginack Public School, Little Current Public School and Central Manitoulin Public School. “Our goal was to deliver a bus load (48 seater) of non-perishable food and new toy donations to the food bank in Mindemoya. This is the second year for the Stuff-A-Bus Challenge and the second year our school has participated,” said Ms. Patterson. She pointed out it was organized by teacher Allison MacNeil.
“My Grade 6/7 students spearheaded the operation here which lasted just shy of two weeks,” said Ms. Patterson. She explained students created poster advertisements that were on display around the school. Students created catchy slogans and wrote motivational announcements which they read over the P.A. system as part of the daily morning messages.
Students prepared and decorated donation bags which were sent home with all students to remind and encourage families to make a donation. The students regularly collected items from the classrooms and created a beautiful visual display in the entry of the school, “which further motivated donations and created a sense of amazement at what was accumulating and what we were doing as a school,” explained Ms.Patterson.
“As a school we collected over 530 items,” said Ms. Patterson. “A combination of both non-perishable food items and new unwrapped toys and gifts. Examples of gifts included transformers, dolls, puzzles, books, pajamas, games, etc.” And, “a few members of the community also brought in donations which was amazing.”
