Before hitting the last Friday morning, students and staff at Maple Ridge secondary accepted donations during an annual fundraiser in support of the Friends in Need Food Bank.
Student council presidents Kaelen Coles-Lyster, 17 and Darren Granale, 17, waved at drivers passing by and collected donations at the “drive-thru” in front of the school.
“Over the past few years, Maple Ridge secondary has gotten a reputation for being one of the biggest donors for the Friends in Need Food Bank, so we’re just taking up the mantle and continuing with tradition,” Granale said.
Student council spends more than one month planning for the event.
“It takes a lot of meeting prep, a lot of time … once our October festivities are over we start right away into planning the food drive,” Coles-Lyster explained.
The event also had special guests Rambo, the school mascot, and Santa, who danced on the sidewalk and helped students cross the street at times.
Gillian Hampton, a teacher who helps organize the event, said members of the student council are the ones who lead the charge.
“They know how important it is to our community and they come out early, and they work hard and they planned, and really because of them, its such a success every year,” she said.
READ MORE: Maple Ridge students prepare for annual drive-thru food drive next week
Saturday the students were at it again.
“Tomorrow morning [10 a.m. to 12 p.m.], we’re going door-to-door around various neighbourhoods in Maple Ridge and we’re asking people for food donations,” Granale said.
“Monday and Tuesday at school, we’re going to count up all the food and we’re going to create 12 hampers for students and families in our school, and the rest of the food we’re going to donate to the food bank,” Coles-Lyster said.
MRSS raised $177.15 for the food bank, as well as 2,983 items of food.
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