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Alberni high school students fill Salvation Army van full of food

ADSS Athletic Dept.’s eighth annual food drive fills van, bellies with food donations
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Members of the Alberni District Secondary School’s athletic department return from collecting food donations during the annual ADSS food drive on Dec. 4, 2019. SUSAN QUINN/Alberni Valley News)

Buses were coming and going in front of Alberni District Secondary School last week for a good cause.

The ADSS Athletic Department organized its annual community food drive, borrowing small buses to take students around the city collecting non-perishable food items to donate to the Salvation Army for the community food bank.

“This is our eighth year,” said Mike Roberts, athletic director at ADSS.

“We started in 2012 when we came to the new school. We didn’t really know what to expect; it was an idea that someone had. We went from one bus to two, now we’re up to eight and sometimes 10 buses,” Roberts said.

“We have a couple of hundred kids in the community, 30-something coaches and who knows how many others helping us canvas for food for people in need.

“This is our way of saying thanks to so many people and businesses that help us throughout the seasons. And the kids have fun doing it.”

Students and adults went around to as many neighbourhoods as they could for two hours on Dec. 4, collecting food donations. Some people came to the school and dropped off their donations. The floor of the Salvation Army’s cube van was covered in totes full of food.

“This is such a blessing to have all the students going out and collecting food for people in need,” said Captain Michael Ramsay from the Salvation Army. “Our hampers will be going out to families very soon in the community and this will go a long way to feeding families at Christmas time.”

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Students from ADSS Athletic Department loaded dozens of bins with non-perishable food items collected around the city on Dec. 4, 2019, during their eighth annual food drive. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
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Students from ADSS line up to fill bins in the back of the Salvation Army’s cube van with food donations collected during their eighth annual food drive on Dec. 4, 2019. (SUSAN QUINN/Alberni Valley News)


Susie Quinn

About the Author: Susie Quinn

A journalist since 1987, I proudly serve as the Alberni Valley News editor.
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