Mar
27
By Darcy Topinka
Without the kindness and generosity of volunteer s and the many significant contributions they make annually, most community organizations would cease to exist. The James Bay Community School Society is no exception. Throughout the year our incredible volunteers assist in our programs by providing gifts of time, and enthusiasm in numerous ways. They serve dinners to seniors, they assist with special event set-up and administration, read to children or assist in the library, and in some cases are the focus of special projects in the classroom. Others show up on a daily basis to assist us with lunch preparation. A few sit on committees, some volunteer their time as directors on our board, and many parents take time to sort fruit and veggies and distribute the produce to the class rooms. These are just a few of the many ways in which volunteers contribute to their school and community centre.
On behalf the James Bay Community School Society, I acknowledge your efforts and extend our heart felt thanks. We tip our hats to those who make volunteering a regular part of their daily lives; you do make a difference to our organizations and to our communities. Thank you for your contribution. If you would like to explore volunteer opportunities in James Bay, just check out your favorite organization's web site, or visit volunteer Victoria's web site.
The James Bay Community School Society sincerely thanks the Victoria Harbour Authority for its generous donation of $5,000.00, which will go toward establishing and stocking an earthquake kiosk here at the school. The community and the school will share the kiosk in the event of an emergency. Discussions with school district representatives, City of Victoria disaster service staff and community school committee members have taken place to decide on the most appropriate installation location. There will be more information forthcoming as this project moves forward.
In early April the school will welcome some special guests; grades two and three students as part of a unit on social studies, will explore the following ideas: the importance of communities; how communities change over time; and how technology changes over time. The students will develop questions for visiting seniors and interview them in class. The school will also welcome visiting artists as we kick off our mid-April Artist in the School series. The series of arts exploration will culminate into our annual gallery gala event in May.
This year, community clean-up day will take place Thursday, April 19. The one-day event is an Island-wide experience that will include children from many school districts. The event is co-sponsored by CTV, the CRD, BFI Canada and Tim Horton's. Children will focus on picking up garbage in parks, on beaches, community areas and in most cases on their own school grounds. This community building exercise helps kids further develop a sense of environmental responsibility and stewardship.