In an annual tradition, special education students at Loyalist Collegiate Vocational Institute were able to tuck into a Christmas dinner on Wednesday.
The festive tradition was brought over from Queen Elizabeth Collegiate and has become an important part of the holidays for students at the school.
“This is a fabulous way for them to get together,” says Sharon Amsden, a teacher with the school.
Serving dinner to special education students has been an annual event for more than 10 years now. Turkey with all the fixings was served this time around — with a little Christmas cheer. Lunch was dished out by teachers and prepared by L.C.V.I’s culinary students.
“It feels really good. I mean, just having people who maybe can’t have a turkey dinner at home, it’s a good thing for everybody,” says Malia Legere, a volunteer for the event.
The Christmas lunch is organized with the help of food donations from a local grocery store and cash donations from the school’s principal.
Amsden says the best part about the event is seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces.
“It’s actually really awesome to see the friendships blossoming,” says Amsden. “They get to sit down, have a meal. It’s a great way to share stories and talk about the year.”
The dinner also gives the school a chance to give back and show support for the number of teachers and educational assistants that work with the five classes in the school.