October 25, 2010

WE Day 2010 [N. Clark]

Our generation has been called apathetic; we are often considered the generation who simply doesn’t care. Somehow, an image has been formed in people’s minds, in which we sit at our computers and listen to our iPods and text on our phones and ignore everything important that is happening in the world. This isn’t true. Young people care very much about global issues, and recently an event took place in Vancouver that proved just that.

On October 15th, over 18,000 students from elementary and secondary schools all over the province came to Roger’s Arena to attend WE Day. Featuring speakers such as Al Gore, Martin Sheen and Jesse Jackson, this event was nothing short of inspirational. The Kielburger brothers also spoke at WE Day, reprising their role from last year and sponsoring this event with their foundation, Free The Children.

Interspersed between the speakers were musical acts including the Barenaked Ladies, Hedley and Colbie Caillat, but it was obvious that those in attendance were really only there for one thing: to learn from, and be inspired by, the leaders of the human rights movement. They were given a battle cry, a simple “I am somebody. We are all somebody,” uttered by Reverand Jesse Jackson. Now, for the next year and until WE Day comes to Vancouver once more, the young people of British Columbia will spread this message. They will raise money and awareness for those in need. They will show that this generation is fuelled by compassion, not apathy. They will make a difference.

Thanks For Giving [N. Clark]

Once again, Delview Secondary has proven that a little school can have enormous accomplishments. Thanks 4 Giving is a huge event that takes weeks to plan, with teachers and students giving up hours of their time each day, well before the actual event takes place. On October 14th, however, it is all made worthwhile by the number of participants and the sheer generosity of the community.

This year, over 400 students and staff members came together to help support Deltassist and the Surrey Food Bank, either by canvassing the neighbourhood in chilly autumn weather or by staying back at the school to carry out the arduous task of sorting the collected canned goods.

The result was an incredible amount of non-perishable food items; a final total of 15,630 cans was reached, Delview’s second highest total since Thanks 4 Giving began. The record is 16,155, a total reached in 2008.

North Delta is a large community, and it is truly wonderful to see each resident come together on one night to support such a good cause. This year, canvassers were able to extend their boundaries and knock on the doors of houses that had never before been visited for this event.

Amazing stories always come out of Thanks 4 Giving because of the compassion citizens of North Delta have for others. This year was no different. The very first cans to be brought to Delview were not collected on October 14th. In fact, they weren’t even brought in by students.

Two people recently celebrated an astounding 70 years of marriage. Even more incredible than that was the request they made of their family and friends; they asked that instead of sending gifts, a donation of canned goods be made to Delview’s food drive. It was these cans, and this amazing act of kindness, that began the 18th annual Thanks 4 Giving event.

Since 1992, Delview has collected over 10,000 non-perishable food items each year, and the numbers are only getting higher. This event will only continue to grow in the coming years. Thanks 4 Giving is one tradition that will never be ignored, no matter how many graduating classes pass through Delview’s hallways. North Delta will always support those in need.