To give them a good start to the school year, 75 kids received backpacks filled with school supplies and other gifts at an event that brought together a group of charities and non-profits in east Richmond last week.
Families came to meet BC Lions players, Surrey Eagles hockey players, RCMP officers and representatives of various charities, including the Henry Schein Foundation, Islamic Relief Canada, Richmond Sunrise Rotary, DuMonde Helping Hands and Semo Foundation at the Riverside Palace Banquet Hall last Tuesday evening.
Harvey Kooner has been organizing the Victor Ghirra Toy Drive for almost two decades. A few years ago, he was approached by the Henry Schein Foundation which wanted to donate backpacks to kids going back to school in September.
Kooner said he could provide a venue and bring together some groups and the kids if they supplied the backpacks.
That was the genesis of the event that took place last week for the third year running.
“People just flocked to it – they wanted to be a part of it,” Kooner told the Richmond News, adding people want to give back to their community.
The children receiving the backpacks come from around the Lower Mainland, and many were from Richmond.
Some of the kids came via the non-profit KidsPlay that works towards keeping kids away from drugs, gangs and violence.
Kooner said families are facing financial challenges, just providing necessities for their children, so the idea was to give them a "strong start" to the school year.
“They may be facing challenges in their families financially," he said. "We wanted to let them know people here all believe that they’ll have a strong start and believe in their future.”
The kids received backpacks filled with school supplies from the Henry Schein foundation, sling bags and soccer balls from Islamic Relief Canada, gift cards from Sunrise Rotary and the Victor Ghirra Toy Drive, hoodies from Semo Foundation, groceries courtesy of DuMonde Helping Hands, BC Lions ats and rally towels from the Surrey Eagles.
Kooner said the event wouldn't have happened without the support of “all these great people here, all these groups who come together who want to do well for the community."
The venue and dinner were donated by the Riverside Palace Banquet Hall on Knox Street just north of River Road.
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