The schools of Trades & Technology and Nursing teamed up to score a first-place showing in one of the categories during the Kamloops Santa Claus Parade on Nov. 29.
With the holiday season in full stride, it’s another time in the year to take time and reflect on the good fortune many of us have and with that, come up with ways to give back to the communities we live in.
Following is a look at some of the on-campus groups collecting items for students in need during the holiday as well as some of the other ways members of the TRU community are reaching out and giving back.
TRU community helping TRU students
Human Resources
HR is once again helping collect items on a campus-wide basis for hampers to be distributed to students in need this holiday season. Items being collected include non-perishable food, toiletries, gifts, and gift cards.
More information: Debbie McNichol — dmcnichol@tru.ca
Faculty of Science
Hampers are being created for Science students in need.
Open Learning
Non-perishable items are being collected for the TRU Students’ Union food bank. Collection boxes are located on the the third and fourth floors of the BCCOL building.
TRU World
Non-perishable items are being collected for the TRU Students’ Union Food Bank.
Helping off-campus — Kamloops community — still on
Faculty of Adventure, Culinary Arts and Tourism
Staff is collecting non-perishable items for the Kamloops Food Bank.
Open Learning
As well as collecting for the TRUSU Food Bank, staff is collecting for staff member Brian Lamb and his family who recently experienced a home fire.
Gloves, toques, and scarves are being hung on trees located in the lobbies of the third and fourth floors to be distributed to Christmas Amalgamated, which will distribute them to local families.
Ancillary Services
Gifts and non-perishable food items are being collected for a local Big Brothers and Sisters family, and items are being collected from an SPCA wish list.
Moustache Gravy Calendar
Mike Coulter, a member of Marketing & Communications, is helping sell a limited run of calendars in support of the Movember movement’s efforts to raise money for prostate research and awareness. The calendar is a humorous look at Vancouver neighbourhoods with each month featuring a different moustached fictionalized character like Yaletown Yuppie, Commercial Drive Creative, and the Wreck Beach Free Spirit. Coulter is among the cast as Main St. Hipster.
Has happened — Kamloops community
Trades & Technology and School of Nursing
Trades students built a playhouse for the Kamloops Family Resource Society Family Tree Family Centre and with the help of School of Nursing, filled it with used toys, food items, diapers, baby formula, and other items. The house was an entry in the Santa Claus Parade on Nov. 29 and received a first-place ribbon.
Nursing Undergrad Society
Women’s, men’s and children’s winter coats were collected and distributed to Canadian Mental Health Association and to Elizabeth Fry Foundation.
Faculty of Law
More than 20 students and three faculty members on Nov. 22 completed a one-kilometre walk/run in their bathing suits to raise money for the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation during the second annual TRU Law Santa Swimsuit Run.
Money was raised for two purposes: To provide children who will have to stay at RIH over Christmas with toys and video games, and towards improvements in the pediatrics ward.
Has happened — outside Kamloops community
Faculty of Law
Faculty of Law’s students, staff, and faculty helped raise $5,496 towards Movember. Of the $15,000 raised by BC’s law schools, TRU’s contribution was second highest.
