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Students spread Christmas cheer

More than 100 high school students joined together this semester to build and refurbish toys for less fortunate families.
HannahFreemantle

THUNDER BAY – For months, local students have been supporting the Christmas Cheer Fund campaign with kindness and talent.

The Westgate Collegiate and Vocational Institute’s technology students have spent the past four months in the workshop building and refurbishing gifts for the Christmas Cheer Fund campaign.

Grade 9 student Hannah Freemantle joined other transportation technology students in refurbishing bicycles they received from Bicycles for Humanity.

“This is like my Christmas present,” Freemantle said. “It makes me really happy to know that somebody less fortunate is going to get something that I would like to get as a present.”

A partnership between Westgate students and Westmount Public School Grade 8 students allowed the bicycles to be cleaned, fixed and any new parts needed were installed.

The students refurbished many bicycles with a collaboration of skills and commitment to putting a smile on children’s faces Christmas morning.

“We are like little elves,” Freemantle said.

“(The partnership) is really important, because we are all working together really hard and then we know that in the end it’s going to someone that’s going to love it and deserve it.”

Freemantle said she was surprised with the thought of how many children are in need of Christmas gifts, which is what makes this annual tradition important.

The students have also designed stickers for the playing pieces and have engraved the rules of the game on the wooden tools.

Transportation technology teacher Blaine Hill said the tradition provides a wonderful experience for the students.

“This is a joint venture we’ve been working at for three years now,” Hill said.

The students focused this year’s tradition on wooden toys, such as Tic Tac Toe, Peg and Ring Toss games.

More than 100 students worked together to help built about 60 toys and refurbish more than 40 bicycles.

“It’s a great project, because now the high school students are leaders and they are working with the Grade 7/8 students as a mentor project,” Hill said.

“The students like that they have an experience with high school and they get to come and work with seniors and see the value of giving back to the community.”

Hill added the tradition allows the students to see the value of making toys for somebody and how big of a difference it makes.



Nicole Dixon

About the Author: Nicole Dixon

Born and raised in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Nicole moved to Thunder Bay, Ontario in 2008 to pursue a career in journalism. Nicole joined Tbnewswatch.com in 2015 as a multimedia producer, content developer and reporter.
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