A social worker from the Seine River School Division says she loves seeing students from the Ste. Anne region helping prepare Christmas Hampers. 

Joanne Vielfaure-Romaniuk says teachers and staff at the Ste. Anne Collegiate collect and purchase presents for the hampers and then the kids get involved. 

“We get the kids to wrap all of the gifts from the leadership team and deliver the gifts with a little bit of help from the staff. It is really about engaging the kids, community connections, increasing the sense of belonging, the whole idea of social justice and it is really a beautiful project that we have been able to embrace every year as it grows.  “ 

Ste. Anne Collegiate brings kids from all over the region including Marchand, Woodridge, Richer and the Town of Ste. Anne. In addition to preparing hampers, she notes they also run food drives to make sure the Ste. Anne Food Bank's shelves are stocked.

Vielfaure-Romaniuk says preparing hampers is “a really great way to connect with our students and also to chat about our needs in our community in Ste. Anne.” She adds “It is not just about educating our kids in terms of academics but also the social, and emotional needs to really try to meet the wholistic approach for all of our students and families.” 

This year the Ste. Anne foodbank is preparing hampers for around 160 families. 

With a tear in her eye, Vielfaure-Romaniuk notes watching these kids get involved is a pleasure. 

“These kids are so passionate and are so willing to help. It is always such an emotional time of year for these families and seeing the kids and the respect and the joy that they provide helping out with the foodbank, whether it is the food drive, doing some fundraisers, or wrapping the gifts, it is just heartwarming.”