Olivia Spencer and Amy Wolstenholme.
Camera IconOlivia Spencer and Amy Wolstenholme. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Rockingham Lakes Primary students send gift of love at Xmas

Tim SlaterWeekend Kwinana Courier

The school is taking part in its third Operation Christmas Child project, fundraising and donating gifts for disadvantaged children all around the world.

Youthcare chaplain Deb Cunningham said a fundraising day was held during term three to help pay freight costs.

“This year, we filled 50 boxes with gifts that were donated by our wonderfully generous school community,” Ms Cunningham said.

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“The conversations we had while we were completing this task were both eye-opening and heartfelt, with the students beginning to understand that it’s not the size of the gift that matters, but it is the giving.”

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Year 6 student Olivia Spencer said they were involved in collecting, sorting and packing the shoeboxes.

“There are lots of children in the world who don’t have very much and I think all children deserve to receive gifts at Christmas,” she said.

Classmate Amy Wolstenholme said participating helped her appreciate what she had.

“Giving is good for the giver and the receiver,” she said.

“It was challenging to fit some of the teddy bears into the shoeboxes, but knowing that these bears are the first thing that the children see when they open the box is pretty awesome.”