Halifax Communauté Nouvelles

HALIFAX – For the young Syrian refugees who will be arriving in Halifax, adapting to school in Canada will likely be a challenge. Aside from the language barrier, there’s also the pressure to fit in or find friends.

Be a Santa To a Senior is a special program that ensures lonely or financially-challenged seniors receive a bit of holiday cheer. Artificial trees are set up each year in nursing and seniors homes throughout the Halifax area. Hanging from the trees are cards that represent a gift for a senior. “The person is asked to take a card, buy the item, return it here to Northwood, (or other participating homes) and we'll have a whole crew of volunteers put together those gift bags,” says John Verlinden, community engagement director.

The Grade 4 student has organized a Me to We group at Mount Carmel Elementary School and has recruited fellow students to work on local as well as global issues. “What do you all want to do with this money we raised?" he asked the Me to We group, during a recent meeting.

While some people brought their kids to malls to see Santa over the weekend, others brought their fur-kids to meet Santa at a Dartmouth animal shelter. It was the second year for Homeward Bound City Pound’s Pet Pictures with “Santa Paws” event, which gives dog owners the chance to bring in their pets for a portrait with the big guy. In exchange, the dog owners were asked to make a donation of toys, treats or money to the shelter.

The busy Grade 8 student at Kings County Academy enjoys basketball, movies with friends, and a whole host of volunteer activities that help people here and beyond. For this reason, Stevenson has been recognized with the Governor General's Caring Canadian Award. “I love helping, seeing people happy,” said Stevenson Dec. 2. Anna is one of the student leaders of KCA's Action Team, which undertakes a number of community engagement projects through the school year, like food bank drives and adopting families for Christmas. She is a Pathfinder with Girl Guides, and works with Brownies and Sparks twice a week.

More than 8,000 students and educators packed the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax Friday for We Day Atlantic. We Day celebrates young people who make a difference in their local and global communities. It also offers tools to continue their projects.