A LOCAL restaurant is donating money each month to two local elementary schools to buy food for students.
Gerran Thorhaug from Don Diego’s made the first donations of gift cards from local grocery stores to school principals and students of Cassie Hall Elementary and Suwilaawks Community School Jan. 22, saying good nutrition is a must in order for young people to learn.
The Jan. 22 donations amounted to $300 for each school and will be followed by donations of at least $100 a month thereafter to each school.
“I know the breakfast and lunch programs at the schools are in need of support,” said Thorhaug. “And this is one way we can help.”
He said helping to feed students is one of the most important causes businesses can support.
Thorhaug said he knew of school food programs from his mother Sheila, the principal at Cassie Hall, but then realized not many other people knew what has happening.
“I’m also hoping this creates awareness of what these schools do,” he added.
Both schools not only have breakfast and lunch programs but also healthy snack programs with money coming from a variety of grants and from the provincial government.
Principals Sheila Thorhaug from Cassie Hall and Pam Kawinsky from Suwilaawks said the Don Diego’s on-going donation effort is appreciated and will be put to good use with an emphasis on healthy foods.
“Lunches are made in our kitchen and that helps us be sustainable,” said Kawinsky.
“We make our own muffins and that gives us more bang for our bucks.”
Sheila Thorhaug said assistance comes in other forms as well – the Alliance Church bakes and brings over cookies once a month.
“And once a year they prepare a potluck meal and bring it over for the staff,” she said.
Of the 209 students at Cassie Hall, approximately 25 have breakfast at the school and 45 take part in the lunch program.
Numbers at Suwilaawks are higher. Of 259 students, 80 have a school-provided breakfast and a same number for lunch.
