In an effort to spread some early Christmas cheer and put smiles on the faces of the children at the House of Resurrection, Sanctor Primary School pupils have embarked on a charity initiative called “The Love Box”.
An administrator at Sanctor, Lee-Andra May, said she and a colleague thought it would be worthwhile to do something for the less fortunate.
In early August, they asked pupils from grades 4 to 7 to each bring a shoebox filled with toiletry items for children aged seven to 17.
“One of the teachers at the school gave us a list of all the children housed here [at House of Resurrection] and myself and Taryn Oortman appointed three girls to head up the project," May said.
“Each week they brought something different.
“The one week it was soap and the next they brought toothpaste.
“It was a fun activity ... We just want the children to feel the love.”
May said that one grade 6 pupil, Jae-Lynn Helmey, decided to go well beyond the call of duty and collected 20 boxes.
Oortman said the admin staff had prepared a “love bag” for the youngest child at the haven.
“Because he is three years old we didn’t buy toiletries for him, but we got a few clothes and some shoes,” she said.
Jae-Lynn said she and her peers were happy to be part of the initiative as they loved bringing joy to other children’s lives.
“We are thankful that the secretaries at our school came up with the idea and even more thankful for the mothers at the home, who opened their doors to us and allowed us to take care of our community,” she said.
Jae-Lynn’s mother, Nicky Helmey, said her daughter had a generous heart and always put others first.
“When she came home with the letter from school, she told me ‘Mommy, I don’t want to pack one box, I want to contribute 20 boxes’.
“She did not know how at the time, but she was sure that she wanted all the children at the home to receive a gift,” Helmey said.
Helmey said she had told her colleagues at work about her daughter’s goal and they were eager to help her reach it.
Helmey said her colleagues also decided to continue with the initiative in future and would start collecting toiletries in January.
Pupils spread cheer through ‘Love Box’ initiative
Image: FREDLIN ADRIAAN
In an effort to spread some early Christmas cheer and put smiles on the faces of the children at the House of Resurrection, Sanctor Primary School pupils have embarked on a charity initiative called “The Love Box”.
An administrator at Sanctor, Lee-Andra May, said she and a colleague thought it would be worthwhile to do something for the less fortunate.
In early August, they asked pupils from grades 4 to 7 to each bring a shoebox filled with toiletry items for children aged seven to 17.
“One of the teachers at the school gave us a list of all the children housed here [at House of Resurrection] and myself and Taryn Oortman appointed three girls to head up the project," May said.
“Each week they brought something different.
“The one week it was soap and the next they brought toothpaste.
“It was a fun activity ... We just want the children to feel the love.”
May said that one grade 6 pupil, Jae-Lynn Helmey, decided to go well beyond the call of duty and collected 20 boxes.
Oortman said the admin staff had prepared a “love bag” for the youngest child at the haven.
“Because he is three years old we didn’t buy toiletries for him, but we got a few clothes and some shoes,” she said.
Jae-Lynn said she and her peers were happy to be part of the initiative as they loved bringing joy to other children’s lives.
“We are thankful that the secretaries at our school came up with the idea and even more thankful for the mothers at the home, who opened their doors to us and allowed us to take care of our community,” she said.
Jae-Lynn’s mother, Nicky Helmey, said her daughter had a generous heart and always put others first.
“When she came home with the letter from school, she told me ‘Mommy, I don’t want to pack one box, I want to contribute 20 boxes’.
“She did not know how at the time, but she was sure that she wanted all the children at the home to receive a gift,” Helmey said.
Helmey said she had told her colleagues at work about her daughter’s goal and they were eager to help her reach it.
Helmey said her colleagues also decided to continue with the initiative in future and would start collecting toiletries in January.
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