On September 20, a group of Grade 7–8 students from the Île-des-Chênes school spent the morning planting trees at the TransCanada Centre. The trees were planted directly north of the TransCanada Centre and the Île-des-Chênes Arena.
“This space is very open and there is no protection from wind or snow,” says Roger Perron, Director of the TransCanada Centre. “The 110-children daycare that has space in the TransCanada Centre often utilizes this green space for their activities. These trees will provide some protection from the elements and, in due course, shade.”
Perron adds that when the trees are larger, people who rent the TransCanada Centre for weddings, socials, and other events can use the space to take photos.
In total, 285 trees were planted in two and a half hours. All the holes had been dug in advance. The project had the support of the RM of Ritchot and Hometown Manitoba’s tree-planting program.
“The real highlight is how enthused the students were in helping out,” says Perron. “They were happy to be out of school [and] we had a great sunny day temperature around 20°C.”
As a thank you for their work, each of the 47 participating students received a pair of gardening gloves from the TransCanada Centre, as well as a free lunch donated by Chicken Chef in Lorette.
“I think it’s very important to get kids involved in community service,” says Chantale Lecocq, a teacher whose French Immersion class participated in the event. “It gives them a sense of pride in their community and also a sense of responsibility for it. It also makes them feel proud of themselves. At the same time, it teaches the students skills they won’t normally learn at school and might not learn at home either.”
Lecocq notes that Grade 7–8 students from the school also volunteer at the monthly senior luncheon held at the TransCanada Centre. They serve food and drinks, and help with cleanup afterward.
