School resource officers serve up a holiday feast
Christmas meal for L.Y. Cairns students has been tradition for more than 35 years
On Thursday, 20 Edmonton Police Service school resource officers served a proper Christmas feast to students of a south Edmonton school.
For more than 35 years, staff at the school have funded an annual holiday meal at L.Y. Cairns, a public school for students in Grades 7 to 12 with cognitive disabilities. This year’s ingredient list — meant to feed 450 hungry youth — included 25 turkeys, 24 kg of corn, 42 kg of dressing, 35 kg of potatoes, 20 litres of gravy, 40 kg of mandarin oranges and 500 ice cream cups for dessert.
Assistant principal Ben Petruk said the tradition began with teachers wanting to give back.
“A fair number of our community come from disadvantaged backgrounds or are in government care,” he said. “They wouldn’t always have that opportunity to have the nice Christmas dinner with family.”
Physical education teacher Shawn Irwin, who has been at the school for 23 years, stressed the importance of that simple tradition.
“It’s really important that everybody has an opportunity to partake in that kind of meal,” he said. “It’s a nice relaxed atmosphere where we can come together as a big family and celebrate the holidays.”
Before the meal, students sang Christmas carols on stage, including a performance of Holly Jolly Christmas complete with cardboard cut-outs of a trumpet and saxophone.
“I like seeing the junior high kids up there singing,” said Hayley Crowe when asked about her favourite part of the event. Hannah Pacholok especially likes “to get all the students and friends together.”
Crowe and Pacholok are best friends in their last year at Cairns.
Afterwards, Cairns school resource officer Const. Darren Wasmuth chatted with students in the gymnasium while still wearing an apron. Last month, the Toronto School District Board voted to end its school resource officer program, citing complaints. But Edmonton school officials have voiced support for the program.
Irwin said the program is another way to interact with police.
“It’s a totally different perspective,” he said. “They get to see them in a positive light rather than the stereotypical negative light.”
Wasmuth, at Cairns since September, is actively involved in classes and intramural activities.
“It’s not necessarily a strictly policing role,” he said. “It’s getting to know the kids, mentoring them, and then they come to you before the problems escalate.”