A corporate sponsor has jumped on board to help the Alberni District Secondary School prom committee put on a 2021 party despite COVID-19 restrictions.
San Group, through its San Cedar Direct division, has made a financial contribution to help pay for prom activities for the Class of 2021.
Usually the graduating class participates in a year-end formal prom and dance in June, followed a couple of weeks later by graduation ceremonies at the Alberni Valley Multiplex. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, no prom was held in 2020 and the dance was also cancelled for 2021. That hasn’t stopped the prom committee from finding other activities to help graduates celebrate, said parent volunteer and prom chair Elia Nicholson-Nave.
“We’ve had to rearrange the concept of what prom day looks like,” she said. While some events are going to be surprises for students, Nicholson-Nave said there will be car cruise like there usually is, and the community “has been very generous” with prizes.
“It’s been a pretty challenging year for a lot of the grads,” said Jay Manson, one of the grad council members elected to plan prom. “It’s been a different year than we’re used to.
“There are definitely some people that are disappointed…at the same time I think it’s taught a lot of people lessons on creativity and finding that one silver lining in the cloud.”
It was an easy decision for San Cedar Direct to sponsor prom, general manager Bruce Molander said. “Administrators and teachers and students worked very hard, especially during COVID-19; we thought it would be appropriate this year through our cedar direct division, which is local sales, to assist in this celebration.”
“Everyone is grateful,” said Grade 12 graduate Paige Maher. “Our district is going above and beyond to provide for us.”
susie.quinn@albernivalleynews.com
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