Volunteers from Westwood High School in St. Lazare and Lester B. Pearson officials were at St. Lawrence Academy in LaSalle today to sort and deliver food and toys to some of the larger families who need help in Verdun and LaSalle.
The volunteer efforts continue tomorrow as families associated with Verdun Elementary, Westwood’s adopted school, receive their baskets.
I am just grateful,” said Louise (not her real name), the mom of a seven-year-old at Verdun Elementary, whose family will receive one of the baskets. “I am seriously grateful because even a fraction of last year’s basket will help me get through the next couple of months in staples…Maybe I can even take my son to the dollar cinema.”
When Louise and her family first received a basket from the school three years ago, her husband had just lost his job, she was working full-time, and their son was in day care. Once food and rent was paid, they had no cash left. They even had to set aside their dream of testing their son for autism with The Montreal Autism Society because the $600 fee turned out to be beyond their means. (A test in the public system is supposed to be free, but they remain on the waiting list five years after a doctor recommended her son be tested.)
Since then, Louise has changed jobs and works only on Saturdays and Sundays and her husband works nights during the week. Still, their finances remain limited so this year’s basket will come in handy. There mightn’t have been one at all, if school commissioner Mary Ann Davis hadn’t begun earnestly fund-raising a week and a half ago.
I didn’t realize that both Verdun Elementary and Riverview were really short of their objective until two weeks ago,” said Davis. “Apparently the work-to-rule campaign had a devastating effect on the usual fundraising effort. It was clear they weren’t going to be able to give out the food and gifts that families rely on. It broke my heart that they didn’t have enough.”
Since learning of the schools’ plight, Davis has done everything she can think of to attract more cash, including taking students carolling and visiting local businesses of all sizes. A local artists’ collective, Enprientes d’artistes de Verdun, donated $295 they made from last Friday’s jam session at Café Kali. The Verdun hair salon Medz gave enough mini hairdryers for each adult in the families to get one. IGA Champagne on Bannantyne gave her 200 chocolate calendars. The Pharmaprix on Wellington donated a $25 gift certificate.
Davis isn’t sure how many baskets the two schools will give out this year, but last year, Verdun Elementary gave baskets to 189 families. The figure is surprisingly-high; the school only has 237 students, and most have multiple sisters and brothers.
Davis says the school is a ten out of ten on the poverty scale, so helping families who go there makes sense for the community.
I’m grateful to Mary Ann for starting the project,” said Louise. “I’m grateful to the families in the West Island who participate. I’m grateful that there is no religion pushed on us in the giving too. The blessings we’re received in the last few years have made me stronger to give back to the community.”
