To get the community into the giving mood Oilfields High School students performed random acts of kindness throughout the Black Diamond community on Dec. 15.
From shoveling neighbourhood walkways to opening doors for strangers and singing Christmas carols, every single Oilfields student took part in the two-hour Spirit of Giving challenge, which took place from 10 a.m. to noon.
The acts of kindness ranged from handing out hot chocolate and candy around town, baking cookies to hand out to residents, visiting and playing games with senior citizens, writing Santa letters to elementary school students, and creating crafts and Christmas ornaments for Black Diamond residents.
The idea began four years ago when an Oilfields teacher suggested the school try to give back to their community, explained Craig Jones, a physical education teacher at Oilfields.
Today, it’s a holiday tradition for Oilfields High School.
New to this year’s event was a greeting card workshop, where students created dozens of personalized Christmas cards to hand out to residents, businesses, the volunteer fire department, Turner Valley RCMP and local EMS workers.
“We’re making cards to make people feel uplifted for the holidays,” said Grade 9 student Rebecca Morgan.
“That’s what Christmas is all about.”
Morgan added she plans on continuing to give during the holidays by caroling with her family on Christmas Eve and donating gifts to families struggling to make ends meet.
“I want to see what we have around the house to give to kids who don’t have as much so they can get gifts on Christmas,” she said.
Brenden Sheridan, a Grade 7 student at Oilfields High School, agreed saying, “Christmas is a time of giving really, and it feels good to share with other people.”
Grade 9 students Morgynn Malsbury, Dawson Treadgold and Julian Penner Cloutier also worked together personalizing their Christmas greeting cards to hand out to people in the community.
“Sometimes people don’t have relatives around during Christmas, and it’s nice to give them a card or something to look up to,” Treadgold said. “It makes your heart feel all warm.”
“I think it feels nice to give people something at Christmas because some people don’t get presents, and it’s nice to help,” Penner Cloutier added.
Meanwhile, in front of Pop’s Barber Shop on Centre Avenue, teacher Bill Crittenden, dressed as Santa Claus, greeted residents with holiday well wishes.
For Crittenden, the Spirit of Giving day was about more than just spreading Christmas joy.
“It means giving to the community and helping out those just with the kindness of your heart,” Crittenden said.
At his side, Grade 9 student Colton Noel opened doors for strangers as part of his random act of kindness.
“The community does so much for our school, and it’s just a nice way to give back to the community,” Noel said. “And it’s the holidays, so it’s a nice thing to do for seniors, and anyone really, holding doors open for them.”
Noel urged more people to perform random acts of kindness, like holding open doors for strangers, throughout the entire year, not just during the holidays.
Inside Pop’s Barber Shop, owner Lauri Viksush said she received a great response to the acts of kindness from customers entering her store.
“The seniors love it,” Viksush said. “They were just enthralled. They thought it was the greatest thing.”
Viksush said she witnessed students helping an elderly customer at the barbershop who had difficulty walking.
“They helped him through the door and to his vehicle,” she said. “It was definitely much appreciated.”
Oilfields High School is also collecting non-perishable food items to donate to the food bank, as well as Christmas gifts and items to donate to families in need through the JOI to the World campaign.
The JOI to the World campaign was spearheaded by Calgary-based creative agency JOI Media group, with a goal of delivering gift-filled boxes to local organizations and shelters helping individuals facing homelessness, poverty and family abuse.
