LCCHS Collects Tens of Thousands of Non-Perishable Food Items for Charity
by Chloë Ranaldi
The LaSalle Community Comprehensive High School (LCCHS) community collected tens of thousands of perishable food items for the Sud-Ouest community.
For nearly 40 years, LCCHS students, alumni, staff, and volunteers have come together for this annual tradition of supporting local families during the holiday season.
On December 4th, students and volunteers went door-to-door in LaSalle to collect non-perishable food items such as cereal, pasta, canned goods, and more.
“It’s one of the largest community events we do here at the school,” said Derek Mott, science teacher at LCCHS and can-drive coordinator. “It’s been going on really for forty years, long before I got here.”
Mott credits the initiative’s success to its founding members, Paul Sowney and Bob McKinnon. “They really started it all, and in 1997-98, I started helping out. Slowly but surely, I took over,” he shared.
With the support of staff, Mott emphasized that the entire school community comes together to make the event possible.
“We have staff making boxes, helping out tonight, delivering the boxes, and the volunteers—it’s truly a community event,” he said.
Mott says the annual charity drive also allows students to get involved in their community and make a positive impact.
“It’s a chance to come out and give back to their community and do something for their city and help out and have fun at the same time. It’s just a real feel good night,” said Mott.
“What this event means to me is really giving back to the community during hard times,” said Brianna Joly, secondary 5 student at LCCHS.
“I’ve had families who’ve received baskets, and they love it every year, this smile on their faces is really refreshing,” said “It’s an amazing way to connect with our school and the community all at the same time,” she said.
Fellow secondary 5 student Ysabela Drakontaidis echoed her sentiment, highlighting the importance of the drive for families facing difficult circumstances.
“For some people this time of year is rough. They want to get presents for their kids and have family time, and giving these baskets to them is a really big help,” said Drakontaidis.
Students, staff members, and families helped sort the donated items at the school into different categories.
LCCHS alumni Haile Aube was helping organize all the donated food items, “I’ve been doing this for 7 years straight, I graduated two years ago, and still I find myself coming back here to give back to the community,” she said. “What Mr Mott and the teachers do here is fantastic, we help so many people.”
The school collected non-perishable items for 60 families in the Sud-Ouest, as well as food that will help fill the shelves at the food banks of the St. Willibrord’s Parish and Hope in Verdun.
Amazing job to the LCCHS family!!
