Edmonton Students Sending Love to Nunavut Babies

Taryn is a teacher at Edmonton Academy. It is a small school in Edmonton that operates as a registered not-for-profit Society in Alberta, that supports students with specific learning disabilities. Edmonton Academy opened its doors to the first group of students in September 1983 and there are now approximately 150 families.

Taryn contacted One Plane Away to let us know that they would like to support our organization. Each Christmas season they encourage their students to engage in the community and volunteer their time for those less fortunate; they call it the Gift of Giving. 

Having grown up in the NWT, Taryn knew firsthand the challenges many faced living in remote communities. This year she recommended to her colleagues and students the idea of sending baby supplies to Nunavut. She promoted the idea by engaging with the High School Leadership class, sharing information of the costs to buys items like diapers and formula in the north. The response was very positive, and the students from leadership class attended the other classes to promote the campaign. 

The campaign generated a great deal of excitement and truly was a Gift from the Heart. One young student when they heard about it said, “I am getting my mom to take me to Winners to go shopping”, another said, “I have a lot of stuffed animals at home I can give them some of mine.”

Students and school staff invited their neighbours, friends and grandparents to participate, and the response was overwhelming. 29 boxes were packed filled with baby clothes, diapers, formula, baby food and toys and in December made their way on Canadian North Cargo to Iqaluit.

Artwork created by the art teacher at Edmonton Academy