Bring breakfast items to the Santa Claus Parade

November 19, 2014 · 0 Comments

Local mother and business woman, Mairi MacCrea is going above and beyond the spirit of giving in support of Highland Heights’ Elementary Breakfast Club Program. McCrea is organizing a float for the Christmas Parade on Saturday December 6th, and the highly recognized “OLAF”, the loveable, animated snowman will be the featured in the ‘Summer in December’ theme. What makes this float special is that McCrea will have helpers on each side of the float walking and looking to collect “ Nut-Free” breakfast item donations for the Breakfast Club Program at Highland Heights Elementary. Even better, upon each donation, a ticket will be given out providing each donator the chance to win one of four $25 Walmart Gift Cards. Simply contact MacCrea at 844-925-4663, to find out if you have one the winning tickets following the Parade.
In recent months, breakfast programs have been the major focus of many educational articles, discussions and reports. How important are breakfast programs? So important, in September 2014, The Shelburne Rotary Club made a pledge to Glenbrook Elementary to cover the cost of milk and cereal for the next three years and presented a check for $1000 to cover costs for the first year!
According to Breakfast Clubs of Canada, reports of improved attendance and punctuality, renewed interest in curriculum subjects, increased understanding of how healthy eating habits affect energy levels, improved behaviour and increased concentration, ergo, greater achievement, improved social skills and confidence to interact with other children and adults, and reduced bullying through increased cross-age and peer group interaction are a clear indication school breakfast programs are doing something right. That’s a steep report card and the reason more children are not eating breakfast at home may surprise you.
There is a social aspect that for some is unavoidable in today’s fast paced life. A quick look at any coffee shop in the early hours of any start to any day will reveal in addition to the adults who grab a coffee on the way to work, there are many busy parents scrambling with fast passed early morning drives, picking up drive-through breakfasts en route to school drop offs before their commute to work.
There simply doesn’t seem enough time in the day for breakfast, and for some kids, slow to wake up in the morning, they are just not hungry at 6:30 am. For this reason, arriving at school and having breakfast with a friend is an irreplaceable, socially and nutritionally imperative experience ensuring educational success as well as just simply being better young people. Most schools offer this incredible service to often more than 25 students a day, and no one is turned away. The environment is kind, happy, considerate, not stressful, and generous. What better way to start your day? Important to note that all local elementary breakfast Club Programs completely rely on donations and occasionally share and evenly distribute donations where needed.
If you would like more information about the Breakfast Club, contact Tara Bernard McCabe, Child and Youth Counsellor at 519 925-3745 ext. 231 and to find out more about the Rotary Club’s involvement, contact Rotary Club President Cindy Sabo at 519 925-5311.
Don’t forget to bring a nut–free breakfast item when you attend the Santa Claus Parade and watch for Olaff!

By Alex Sher

In September 2014, Kit Stewart, Glenbrook Breakfast Program Coordinator, and Child and Youth Councillor at Glenbrook and Hyland Heights, Tara Bernard-McCabe gave President of the Shelburne Rotary Club, Cindy Sabo a thank you card from students following The Rotary Club’s three year pledge to provide milk and cereal to Glenbrook Elementary in support of their Breakfast Club Program, giving them $1000 to kick start the first year of the pledge.