BARRHEAD - Barrhead schools provided a welcomed lift to the local food bank and Santa's Toy Box program.
On Friday, Dec. 10, the Barrhead and District Family Community Support Services (FCSS) food bank staff picked up two minivans filled with food after a two-week food drive.
BES Chrissie Epp said the Grade 6s organize a school-wide food drive yearly in December.
She said she started the tradition in her class about a dozen years ago when she was a Grade 6 teacher but instead of a food drive, it was a toy drive for Santa's Toy Box.
Santa's Toy Box is a program that ensures children from infants to 17 years old have a special Christmas present regardless of their financial situation.
It eventually morphed into where the Grade 6 classes would organize fundraisers such as bake sales and use the proceeds for a toy shopping spree at local businesses to, in more recent years, a school-wide food drive.
A week earlier, Barrhead Composite High School filled a bus with more than 1,300 pounds of food and toys for the food bank and Santa's Toy Box.
Teacher/counsellor Charity Erickson said students were encouraged to bring the items to their homeroom classes from Dec. 2 to 6.
Program coordinator Pamela Griffiths, who heads FCSS' Christmas programs, said the donation was welcome and well-timed.
"We have had many wonderful groups and community members donate beautiful toys, gift cards and food for our Santa Toy Box program and Christmas hamper and food bank, and donations such as the ones from Barrhead schools help us spread some holiday cheer to those in need," she said.
Due to demand, she said FCSS continued to accept applications well after the Christmas deadline had expired, adding as of Dec. 16, they received 76 Santa's Toy Box requests and 84 for Christmas food hampers.
FCSS will be closed for the holidays from noon on Dec. 24 and will reopen on Jan. 2.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
