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Vancouver elementary students collect donations for street youth

Grade 4 students learn importance of giving over the holidays
Lord Tennyson after-school program brings donations to the Courier for Directions Youth Services. Ph
Lord Tennyson after-school program brings donations to the Courier for Directions Youth Services. Photo Dan Toulgoet

A group of Grade 4 students from an after-school program at Lord Tennyson elementary arrived at the Courier with bags of donations in hand Dec. 12. The young volunteers collected all the essentials to be given to youth in need — toothbrushes, coats, underwear, toiletries, boots, sleeping bags and about $800 in gift cards.

“It feels good because you know that you’re helping other people,” said one student.

The after-school program, coordinated by Kathy Quinn, collects essential items for the donation project started by June Stafford, Glacier Media officer manager, 14 years ago. This year the students held a bake sale to raise funds and had their own wishing well to collect spare coins while hoping for a little luck.

As a reminder to ask for help from family, the students performed their own skits about collecting donations in the program.

All of the donations will go to Directions Youth Services, an organization that supports at-risk and street-involved youth under the age of 25 in Vancouver. The organization provides resources 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all-year round.

Donations can still be dropped off at the Vancouver Courier office located at 303 West Fifth Ave., Monday to Friday, between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. until Dec. 19.

For more information on Directions Youth Services, visit directionsyouthservices.ca.