- by Hayley Blundell and Class 5/6 B

I have never been one to hold back or mince my words, so I will admit that I was disappointed that I wasn’t going to be able to organize the annual East vs. West food drive competition for 2023. I have always believed in the importance of community and taking care of our neighbours.

I needed to find a way for our small school of just over 300 kids to create a similar initiative that not only brought in much needed donations, but also brought together the community and provided a sense of belonging. We were never without team spirit and enthusiasm, as many of my students inquired about the food drive from their first day of school and planned for it all year.

As the idea of an Alexandra School Food drive started to take shape, its catchy name Eagles Take a Bite out of Hunger was becoming increasingly popular.

Word of our intriguing new idea of a drive-through donation event quickly spread and the donations came steady on both days. In total, the school raised 2,954 items for the Salvation Army Food Bank, OSHaRE and the Owen Sound Animal Shelter. The food, hygiene items and pet food donations lined the hallway, several boxes and bags deep.  

As I look back and reflect on the past three weeks, I remember an afternoon while sorting piles of donations. One of my students whispered to me that she enjoyed organizing the food drive and although her family was not financially able to donate, she now realized what I meant when I said that there is not just one way to donate to the cause.

I brought this idea up with the other students and to my delight they were all able to list several ways in which they helped in the food drive (making flyers, handing out flyers, contacting businesses, creating posters, collecting food, bagging and boxing food and carrying the donations to the truck).

Although our school population is one that is very diverse in cultural and economic backgrounds, the opportunity for the students to participate and donate in a variety of ways created an inclusive environment that celebrated the value of each child.

The success of the food drive was very much due to the support from our local media (the Owen Sound Hub, Bounce Radio 92.3 and Mix 106.5). Their representatives shared details of the food drive both on air and online and let the community know the important details, while at the same time making personal connections with the students themselves.

In closing, I would like to say thank you to everyone who helped make Alexandra Eagles Take a Bite out of Hunger so successful. There is no doubt that this will be an annual event for the school. 

Hayley Blundell and Class 5/6 B 

Alexandra School – Once an Eagle, Always an Eagle!