The Powassan and District Food Bank got a huge helping hand from the students at Mapleridge Public School, Dec. 10.
Continuing a tradition that's been going on for 18 years, more than 250 JK to Grade 8 students formed a human chain from the school on Edward Street to 250 Clark, where the local food bank is located, and passed food from one student to the next over a distance of 300 metres.
The students collected about 700 non-perishable food items over a three-week period and also collected $700.
The food bank's assistant coordinator, Diane Cole, said the combination of the food and money “will keep the food bank going well into February."
Cole said the food bank is appreciative of the work the Mapleridge students do each year for the food bank, adding it shows great community support.
Cole also said the students learn a valuable lesson from their annual effort.
“We're bringing our children up properly to let them know that there are less fortunate people in the world and they need help and not to look down on them,” Cole said.
One of the participating students forming the human chain was Jane Piper, who is in Grade 8.
Piper has been part of Jingle All the Way for 10 years and this is her final human chain.
When reflecting on the event the young student said it's been great to see the school community pull together year after year.
For Piper there was also personal gratification.
“Giving back has always been something that I've wanted to do,” she said.
“Ensuring that everybody has something is important to me.”
Another Grade 8 student, Vienna Driscoll, said any donation that came in during Jingle All the Way was important no matter how big or small.
“Even if it (was) a small donation, it still helps someone,” Driscoll said.
“It's not difficult to give and help other people.”
Mapleridge Public School Principal Alison Clarke said “it's important to teach students from an early age what it means to be part of a community”.
“We're teaching children about the importance of giving and the human chain is a nice hands-on idea,” Clarke said.
Clarke also said the human chain day allows the school to talk to the students about what it means to share with other people who may not have as much.
Clarke is confident that Jingle All the Way will continue to help the food bank this time of year for many more years to come.
Rocco Frangione is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the North Bay Nugget. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.