December really was a month of community service and charity for many SD43 schools, students and staff  who came together with the Christmas spirit of giving to help those in our communities Some highlights include:

·         SD43 schools in Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, Port Moody and Anmore including the Coquitlam Board Office, donated over 30 thousand pounds of food to SHARE Society.

·         Grade 4 Irvine Elementary School student Kyra Gregory-Cole for the fourth year in a row distribute gloves, hats, scarves, socks, toiletries and other goodies to the region's most vulnerable people in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

·         Port Moody Middle School students helped removed 10 pounds of garbage and two cubic metres of invasive plants from Orchard Park in December with the Lower Mainland Green team.

·         Aspenwood Elementary Cares Club helped make over 900 Christmas crackers for local seniors’ homes, shelters and food banks, as well as families from a local apartment complex who lost their homes to a fire a few months ago.

·         Moody Middle School raised money for the Wildlife Rescue Association with their Moody Market open.

·      Citadel Middle School helped to raise $600 to assist the seven families at Banting Middle School who recently lost their homes in the North Road fire.

·      Hillcrest Middle School raised over $800 at two bakes sales and their first Christmas Market. They also stuffed 52 packages of essential items for the Tri-Cities Bridge Shelter program serving local homeless people in our community.

·     Glenarye Elementary raised close to $1200 for the Woman’s Transition House at their Annual Craft Fair.

·        Heritage Woods Secondary held its 11th annual holiday tea for local seniors with over 200 attendees.

·         Many more schools delivered family hampers, held toy drives and hosted pancake breakfasts or breakfasts with Santa with proceed s going to various local community charities.