Students at Empire Community School and accompanying children from Southwest Daycare enjoyed a free Christmas lunch Dec. 19, thanks to the generosity of Blue Whale Financial Solutions Inc. The meal included turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing, and was prepared by Super Meats Catering. A couple cakes were provided courtesy of Safeway.
There was more than just a good meal – Santa Claus himself attended to wish the children a very merry Christmas.
To make the event possible, Blue Whale Financial reached out as part of its mission to help one deserving community school each year.
“When we first came up with the brainwave, we were seeing kids in need,” said Kelly Binner, an advisor with Blue Whale Financial who helped organize the event. “We are a Blue Whale family, and we want to make sure everybody has the same advantages we have.”
The company alternates between Prairie South and Holy Trinity school divisions, and everyone working at Blue Whale Financial helps if they’re available. “What better way to make a kid happy than to make their tummy full,” Binner said.
“Empire is one of the schools that would be considered a community school here in town, and they don’t quite get as much funding. If we can help somehow with that, that’s wonderful,” she said.
The lunch program started eight years ago after a need was brought to Blue Whale Financial's attention.
“My friend Michelle, who’s here with us today, was a teacher here at Empire. We started (the lunch program) because of some of the things I heard,” Binner said. Michelle learned that some of her students don’t get to have a traditional Christmas supper.
“Obviously with these challenging economic times in the past few years, it becomes more and more apparent that not everybody has the same access to good… meals. We want to make sure (a meal is) available to everybody,” said Binner.
The room was initially marked by calm, quiet chatter. Students increasingly participated in singing to Christmas carols as the meal lines began.
That all changed when Santa Claus himself walked through the door.
After the meal, Santa met students and children in the daycare program. He and his helpers were busily handing out oranges and water bottles and everyone could have their picture taken with him.
“This is the best day of my life!” one of the students was overheard saying as she walked back from the dessert table.
Southwest Daycare and Early Learning Centre is currently undergoing renovations and cannot use the existing facility. To accommodate this, Gillian Crocker, Empire’s principal, invited the daycare to use space at the school until renovations are done. Many of these children attended the Dec. 19 event.
“(Empire School) invited us to their events, including this one. We want to say thank you to them for their generosity and their kindness,” said Taylor Brake, Southwest Daycare’s assistant director.
“We really want to thank Mrs. Crocker for inviting us and having Blue Whale Financial come out. Our kids are having a wonderful time,” said Lucille Gilliand, the daycare’s executive director. “It has been a wonderful experience in the time we’ve been here during our renovations.”
Blue Whale Financial has been around for over 20 years and operates with the mission of giving back to the community. Blue Whale has helped the Hospital Foundation when the new hospital was being built, and supported Hunger in Moose Jaw, the Red Cross, and the YMCA.
“This does as much for us and makes us feel the Christmas spirit as it does for the kids,” concluded Binner.
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