Big-hearted students warming Saskatoon’s homeless
By Joan Janzen
Winter in Saskatchewan may be cold, but a group of Grade 6 students from Elizabeth Middle School in Kindersley started a project to help keep the homeless in Saskatchewan warm. It all began when one of the students took notice of homeless people on the streets of Saskatoon and wanted to give them blankets to stay warm. It’s a thoughtful gesture as there aren’t enough shelters in Saskatoon to house all the homeless.
After the Christmas break, the student returned to school and excitedly told Mrs. Maureen Dobbin about her idea. Mrs. Dobbin suggested it would be a wonderful project for the Elizabeth Middle School Interact Club. This is a junior division of the Rotary Club and has been a part of the school for many years.
“This is a 100 percent student-driven initiative,” Mrs. Dobbin said. “I called a meeting, and a group of eight students showed up. They discussed their ideas and came up with a plan. They prepared a PowerPoint presentation about their venture to present to classrooms, and they created a video of their presentation and shared that with classrooms. They wrote a letter and sent it home to parents, and a poster was created and distributed to businesses that students have contacts with.”
The posters were distributed throughout the school, and the students wrote letters which they sent to businesses in Kindersley soliciting donations. “The group meets during lunch and recess. It’s beautiful to watch them,” Mrs. Dobbin said.
They put out a request for donations of new or gently used blankets, with a goal of collecting 150 blankets and/or $1500 in monetary donations. Businesses and individuals are invited to support this worthwhile project.
The collection got underway on January 10th and runs until January 28th. Donations can be dropped off at the main entrance to Elizabeth Middle School between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
The blankets and monetary donations will be delivered to the Lighthouse in Saskatoon and other agencies in Saskatchewan. But the students can’t do it without the help of the community. Let’s help them reach their goal. Helping them reach their goal will not only help keep people warm, but it will encourage these big-hearted students to take on many more projects in the years to come to help meet needs in our community and beyond.
Photo: These Grade 6 students have got the homeless covered in blanket donations. They are part of the Elizabeth Middle School Interact Club Service Project collecting donations and blankets for the homeless in Saskatoon.
