by Sylene Argent With school facilities currently shutdown due to the Coronavirus emergency, schools within the Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB) forwarded items from their breakfast, lunch, and snack programs to the Unemployment Help Centre last Friday. Local participants in the Board-wide donation included Gosfield North Public School, Colchester North Public School, Kingsville District High School, and Kingsville Public School. Pam Badiuk, Principal of Gosfield North Public School, said the local elementary learning facilities collected items – such as granola bars, milk, apple juice, and frozen yogurt – that would have been distributed or sold through school nutrition programs, then delivered them to the Essex Civic and Education Centre on Friday. From there, representatives from the Unemployment Help Centre picked up the donations, so the items could be distributed to those in need.
Western Secondary School, she added, has a cooking program. So, this learning facility was able to donate items, like eggs. Badiuk said the educators appointed to collect the items at each school were given instructions on how to safely donate the food. “It was really nice,” Badiuk said of being involved with the donation. “I’m really proud of our Board. These food items need to be out there [for those who need them].” The collection, she added, was organized under the direction of Superintendent, Sharon Pyke.