Grade 2 students at St. James School learned the valuable lesson of giving on Valentine’s Day.
The students held a fundraiser to raise money for the food bank and their own blessing box.
The kids, who were a part of Cliona Kilarski’s class, made candygram boxes to sell leading up to Feb. 14.
More than $400 was raised from the boxes, with the funds used to purchase groceries for the Upper Room Mission in Vernon and a blessing box.
A blessing box is a a free pantry that provides non perishable food, as well as hygiene items to local residents when they need them. A box has been installed at the school since 2018.
Students had been learning about how Jesus gave back to his own through prayer and fasting and they wanted to give back to their own community during the time of Lent (six weeks prior to Easter).
“The volunteers at the Mission were very surprised to see us, and so grateful for the support from the school community,” said Kilarski.
Parent volunteer Julie Useda also lent her support to the rewarding project.