Vision

Our vision was to increase awareness about using old cards to make new cards and to spread Christmas cheer among seniors and Candian troops while learning about climate change.

Action

Our action project involved collecting old cards and old envelopes (envelopes that were not written on the front of) from all holidays/special occasions by getting students, staff, teachers and community members to collect them and drop them off to the school. We then used them in our grade 7, 8 and 9 art classes to make new cards for our local seniors home. Not only did we make new Christmas cards recycled from old cards with a hand written note for each of the 81 residents, but also fundraised to fill 81 gift bags of various Christmas stocking stuffing items for each resident of the Deer Lake Manor. We asked each grade at our school to bring in a particular donation. For example, our three grade 6 classes were asked to bring in an individualized small size apple, cranberry or orange juice drink. Grade 7 classes were asked to donate chocolate or sugar free candy that would be distributed amongst the bags. We actually used 42 small reused / recycled zip lock bags that we collected from around the school to put the candy in within the larger gift bags to prevent the candy from tasting odd from the scented items. The grade 8 classes were asked to bring in one of the following items – a bar of soap, a packet of pocket size tissue package, or body wash. The grade 9 classes were asked to donate either a small bottle of shampoo or hand cream. We added ornaments students made to the bags. An ELA/Math class made large print sudoku and word search puzzles for the seniors that were also in the bags. We used recycled blue ribbons to tie on to the bags to tell the male resident bags from the female resident bags. The Christmas gift bags that we put the gifts in were even recycled, as we asked for gently used gift bags, and staff/teachers, students and community members dropped them off at the school for us. One of my art classes also made reindeer from old wooden banisters and sold them. The funds raised went towards buying any materials listed above to go into the bags to top up the bags and items like shaving cream for the male residents and nail polish for the female residents. A local Wingin It restaurant also supported our project by collecting items that were dropped off at their establishments or donated by their staff to contribute to the seniors’ gift bags. One local beekeeper donated 81 homemade lip chaps sticks for the senior’s gift bags. The response from students, parents, teachers, staff and community in support of this project was astonishing!

Reflection & Celebration

During the last week of school prior to the Christmas bread, a bus load of students made up of Ms. Bennoit’s grade 6 choir, Ms. Penny’s special needs students, and my class went to deliver the presents at the seniors building. It was certainly an enjoyable experience and students and staff got to spread Christmas cheer. While at the home students spent time with the seniors, passed out gifts and the cards, sang for the seniors and students dressed up as Mummers danced! It was a festive time!

In total from all my art classes we made 157 recycled Christmas cards! 81-83 were used at the seniors home. We made up two extra gifts just in case anyone moved into the seniors home prior to our visit. The remaining 74 cards we mailed to our Canadian troops serving overseas. The box we mailed them in was an old recycled file folder box turned inside out and taped up!

Our project related to sustainability/climate change as it allowed us to reuse and recycle items that a lot of people get rid of after the holidays such as cards and gift bags. This project was important to our school population and community because it allowed students and their families to contribute to the true meaning of the holidays and give back to the community while reducing paper garbage. Our students were inspired to take on this project because they love pay it forward type of projects. They were inspired by the fact that this project put so many smiles on countless peoples’ faces. Including seniors and members of the Canadian armed forces. Actually, this project encouraged us to also make recycled Valentine’s Day cards for the seniors. One class returned to the seniors’ manor on Feb 14th to give out cards and play bingo with the seniors.

We used over 150-200 old cards that were collected! And since this project we have collected an additional 1,334 used Christmas cards and 402 miscellaneous cards for other occasions such as birthdays. These Christmas cards will be used in future years at Xavier as we hope to make this an annual event making cards for seniors and troops. These activities are important to our school community as they teach our students to build positive intergenerational relationships with seniors and with members of the CAF while learning to also be aware of sustainability and climate change issues.