More than 100 student athletes, coaches and other volunteers braved the cold on Wednesday, Dec. 5 for the annual Alberni District Secondary School Athletic Department’s food drive.
Each year, the high school’s student athletes go door-to-door, travelling in team buses, to collect non-perishable donations for the Salvation Army. Wednesday’s event took place in fog and freezing temperatures.
“We couldn’t have picked a better night,” said athletic director Mike Roberts. “It makes it feel like Christmas.”
The food drive has become an annual tradition for the community. It started after the new high school opened and has now been running for seven years. Roberts says that students look forward to the night.
“The kids can’t wait,” he said. “It’s one way that they’re able to give back to the community.”
Students don’t have time to reach everybody in Port Alberni, so the school also offered a “drive-thru” in the parking lot, where a few people dropped off donations.
Seven buses full of students pulled up to the school at the end of the evening, filling up a Salvation Army truck with perishable goods and cash donations. All the donations will go towards the Salvation Army hampers, which will be delivered to families in need at Christmastime.
“Tonight it’s not about the wrestling team, or the basketball team,” said Roberts. “Kids just hop on a bus. We’re all one big team tonight.”
Anyone whose house was missed may still drop off food at ADSS until the end of the day on Friday, Dec. 7. There is a bin near the office at the front of the school.
elena.rardon@albernivalleynews.com
