Students from Holy Rosary High School’s KEY Club are giving back to their community by donating soup to The Olive Tree Food Bank.
The group is part of the Kiwanis Educating Youth Club, or KEY Club, a service program that teaches leadership and giving back. On May 14, they brought over two dozen jars of handmade soup to The Olive Tree.
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“We brought these soups for people in need,” said Peyton Klarenbach, a Grade 9 student and KEY Club member. “We feel the need to help the community. They need to know there’s always someone there for them.”
The donation helps The Olive Tree food bank serve more people in need.
“It gives them a chance to give back in a way they never thought possible,” said Rebecka Lett, the food bank’s co-ordinator. “The kids have a lot of fun with it.”
Lett said donations from students make a big difference.
“Without that, we’d have to buy everything,” she said. “Having support like that makes it amazing.”
She said most donations go out the door quickly.
“It’s pretty much within the next day or the next week,” said Lett.
The Kiwanis Club of Lloydminster sponsors the KEY club. It helps students develop leadership skills while making a difference in the community.
“It warms my heart, to see them give back,” said Vera Gallant, a Kiwanis Club member and KEY club liaison. “This is why I love Kiwanis so much. I’m so passionate about it because I see what young people are doing. They are going to be the future of Canada.”
Gallant, said Kiwanis supports students from a young age. She loves helping the kids take part in the community like this.
“We teach kids service and leadership starting at Grade 1,” she said. “We go right through to college. No other organization does that.”
Holy Rosary is the only school in the city with a KEY Club. Gallant encouraged parents to reach out to the school to get their children involved.
According to Lett, the need for food in Lloydminster is growing fast.
“We’ve hit probably every month with about 60 new clients,” said Lett. “Some months are higher, some are less, but that’s the average.”
The food bank now serves more than 800 people each month.
“It’s not just unhoused people,” said Lett. “It hits families, seniors, single parents, young kids on their own, everybody. It’s hit everyone.”
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