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Student-led food drive in Central Saanich sets new record

Stelly’s students organize May 5 event, over 19,000 food items collected
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A May food drive organized by students at Stelly’s Secondary School collected more than 19,000 non-perishable food items from across Central Saanich. (Courtesy of Ryan Braun)

A food drive held across multiple schools in Central Saanich collected more than 19,000 non-perishable items for the Saanich Peninsula Lions Food Bank in Sidney.

Students and staff of Stelly’s Secondary School showed off the record number of donations in the school’s gym, aptly named the Hive after the school’s Stinger mascot, as part of the school’s fourth annual Fill the Hive food drive held May 5.

Students collected the items and money donations from drop-off stations at Keating and Brentwood elementary schools and Bayside Middle School. Students also canvassed homes for donations with the help of a no-contact system using paper bags donated by Thrifty Foods.

RELATED: Stelly’s students set to swarm Saanichton for the Fill the Hive Food Drive

Beverly Elder, executive director of the Saanich Peninsula Lions Food Bank, welcomed the donations.

“The timing of this event works so well for us,” she said. “(With COVID-19), we lost so many of our Christmas food drives. This by far makes up for them not happening.”

Students Jasmeen Lalari, Lauren MacFarlane, Alexis Newton, Eva Person and Yael Stevens planned and organized the event with the help of staff, students and alumni.

“This was one of the only events Stelly’s held this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” MacFarlane said.

“(It) was really nice getting to not only help out those who are struggling to feed themselves or their families, but also be a part of a school initiative,” added Stevens.


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wolfgang.depner@peninsulanewsreview.com



Wolf Depner

About the Author: Wolf Depner

I joined the national team with Black Press Media in 2023 from the Peninsula News Review, where I had reported on Vancouver Island's Saanich Peninsula since 2019.
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