Breakfast club a big success
A good start to the day
Three times a week, volunteers from Arise Church head to Windley School in Cannons Creek armed with breakfast supplies.
The aim of their breakfast club project is to fill the bellies of schoolchildren with food so they can start the day with a focused brain.
Pastor John Cameron, who leads Arise with his wife, Gillian, said the church started its first breakfast club nearly three years ago at the school.
‘‘ As a church, we strongly believe in sharing God’s care and concern for people in a practical and meaningful way,’’ Cameron said.
‘‘If there is a need in the community, and kids are hungry, we want to do something about that.’’
Cameron said the children could come before school, eat as much as they wanted, and spend time playing board games or talking with volunteers who were there to help out.
‘‘ The reason we run Arise Breakfast Club is to encourage the kids who come that they can be whatever they want to be, that they are champions.
‘‘Practically, we want to give them a great start to the day so they can focus on learning as much as they can at school.’’
The club is open to all Windley pupils, and a note is put in the school newsletter every term to let children and parents know about it.
Braedon McGrail, a volunteer for the breakfast club, said it ran three days a week at the school, and usually about 60 children attended.
They were able to munch on a hot meal of food like baked beans, eggs, toast, cereal, yoghurt and hot chocolate.
McGrail said the volunteers were encouraged to hang out and have fun with the children.
‘‘Every once in a while we’ll advertise something for the following week, such as a ConnectFour tournament, or a Weet-Bix eating competition,’’ he said.
‘‘ It’s really cool to see volunteers getting to know the kids and playing games with them.’’
McGrail said he and the other volunteers made an effort to create a family feel to the mornings, and they often got to meet parents who dropped their children off at the door.
‘‘Parents can come in and help, or bring their younger kids along.
‘‘They’re more than welcome to come in and have some breakfast, and sit down as a family.’’
The children were free to come in for breakfast at any time, but organisers stopped serving food in time to let them get ready for class.
Although the breakfast club began at Windley, it has also started at two other schools around Wellington, in Strathmore and Taita.
Arise Church has been running since 2002.