Students and teachers have been working together to make sure every child in the Ste. Anne area will receive a gift this Christmas.

Seine River School Division Social Worker Joanne Vielfaure-Romaniuk says for the second year, grade eight students made tree ornaments with the age and gender for each child in families who will receive a hamper this Christmas. The ornaments were hung on a tree in the staff lounge, to give teachers an opportunity to pick an ornament and purchase a gift for that child.

"We wanted to make sure each child had a personalized gift. Actually, a lot of teachers and staff have done the shopping with their own children and I think it's a beautiful way to teach your child what it means to give back."

Twenty five students from Ste. Anne Collegiate spent some time Friday wrapping all 65 gifts that accompany the food hampers this Christmas. "I thought it would be a great community project that would encourage students and the school to really look at a holistic approach, that poverty has no boundaries. Also, for them to know what's out there and the importance of volunteering and giving back to the community."

Jenna Belton is a grade 12 student, she says her class participated in a food waste project and were surprised by how much food is wasted. She says after visiting the food bank and seeing how many families need help, she finds herself thinking about how great the need is.

Belton took part in wrapping the gifts Friday. She says, "Now coming to Christmas, it's just part of us giving back, because not every family gets what we have. It breaks my heart becuase I get to choose what I want for Christmas and I get to choose what we eat for dinner, some of these kids don't. They are happy with whatever they get."

Because the need continues to grow, this year, Vielfaure-Romaniuk says, along with all of the Ste. Anne School's, teachers from Richer School were also included in the toy drive.