Skip to main content
image description

Students in Campbell River take action to help the homeless through Everybody Deserves a Smile

Events & Celebrations, General News, Student Achievement, Curriculum & Learning, General News, Student Achievement
Student holding a drawing of a snowman.

Students in Campbell River are learning about important social issues through the 18th annual Everybody Deserves a Smile (EDAS) campaign. Southgate Middle School students get the opportunity to decorate large envelopes, create hand made cards, and write caring messages to people who can really benefit from heartfelt youth engagement. Students also get to see how their small acts of kindness collectively make a big difference to people who experience homelessness or poverty.

Led by Blair Waters, a grade 6/7 teacher at Southgate Middle School, students’ beautifully decorated “envelopes of kindness” filled with woolen socks, toques, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, hand sanitizer, sugar cookies, and a hand made card will be provided to 155 people through 3 partnering agencies in mid-December. Meanwhile in nearby communities of the Comox Valley, Nanaimo, and Qathet (Powell River), another 1,700 EDAS care packages will be created and provided to vulnerable people across the region to lift spirits, provide necessities, and show compassion.

Blake Hippolt, a grade 6 student at Southgate, describes what it means to him to be involved in EDAS, “It is important to help those who aren’t as fortunate as us and who need some extra help. With the weather being so cold, it’s not fair that they don’t have items to keep them warm so it is nice that we can help.”

In consideration of continued COVID precautions, EDAS Campbell River is asking for cash donations instead of collection of garments. They still need to raise $1,500 to facilitate the bulk purchase of warm socks and toques, personal care products, and cookies. They invite all donors to include a heartfelt message in the memo of the cheque or in the message box of the e-transfer which will be passed along to recipients.

E-transfers can be sent to edas.campbellriver@gmail.com (no password required) or cheques can be made out to Everybody Deserves a Smile or EDAS and mailed to the Society via 1168A Joshua Place, Courtenay BC, V9N 8Y6. Please write Campbell River in the cheque memo.

For more information, visit https://edas.ca/project/campbell-river/.

image description
Back to top