Students at Red Deer Lake School are inviting the community to help them support people in need.

Students at Red Deer Lake School participate in last year's Service Saturday, a day that gives youth an opportunity to tap into their creativity to help people in need. This year's fundraising event takes place at the school on Saturday, Dec. 5.

This Saturday the school is hosting its 10^th annual Service Saturday, an event that gives students an opportunity to focus on people in the community who do not have enough to eat, do not have adequate clothing for winter and may not even have a home. The event is also an opportunity for residents to follow the students’ lead.

Guests are invited to stop in and drop off loose change, winter coats, blankets and toiletries, which will be donated to the Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter and the Rowan House Emergency Shelter.

The junior high students have been brainstorming to come up with activities that will be fun and will inspire guests to let go of their loonies and spread them around for charity.

From 10 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. students will be hosting activities for children and selling homemade baking and crafts. The fun will include cookie decorating, hayrides, storytelling, face painting, photos taken with Santa and writing letters to Santa.

Event coordinator Hélène Hamilton, a teacher at Red Deer Lake School, said the students have been spending a great deal of time and energy gearing up for the event.

“For the junior high students, they’re very much involved with the planning and implementation of the day and they’re involved with the delivery of the donations, too,” said Hamilton. “A lot of them take that time to recognize there is something outside of themselves and their families. For a lot of kids it lights the fire in them to go out and continue supporting organizations, for example, by volunteering.”

Students had a strong lesson in how comfortable their lives are this fall when teacher Jen Shaw shared photos and stories about her experience volunteering in Rwanda.

Shaw will give a presentation at the school during Service Saturday, a special request by students and parents. In August she helped build homes, carry water and distribute supplies to World Vision sponsor children. Sharing her photos stirred up emotions in the students, teachers and parents, Hamilton said.

“I don’t think there was a dry eye in the place,” said Hamilton. “It made the students aware of being grateful for more than their pets, the brothers and sisters and their home. It made them grateful for clean water.”

Red Deer Lake School is celebrating its 10^th annual Service Saturday on Saturday with a huge bake sale and special events at the school from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

tneely@okotoks.greatwest.ca

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