Students from Years 5 and 6 have been acting as Santa’s elves and have been busily preparing shoe boxes filled with treasures for children in Third World countries.
The school is taking part in the Samaritan's Purse Australia's Operation Christmas Child, a program that allows people to donate a shoe box filled with gifts to children who would otherwise not have received a gift at Christmas.
Shepparton East Primary School's student welfare educator Mark Rumble said the school had been participating in the program for several years.
“Any activity that encourages children to think outside of themselves makes them realise we are the lucky one per cent in the world,” Mr Rumble said.
“The appeal encourages First World countries like ours to get involved in packing gifts for children in countries where they don’t normally get presents.
“The children who will be receiving these will be children who have probably never received a gift for Christmas,” he said.
Boys and girls of all ages and personalities have been catered for, as each box has been specially chosen and includes something to love, something for school, something to play with and something for their hygiene.
The children have used the money they raised from making coffees for parents and teachers at the school’s breakfast program to buy the gifts as well as donations from students families to fund the appeal.
More than 30 boxes are expected to be sent across the world from Shepparton East in the next few weeks.
Student Georgia Plattfuss said the experience helped her learn about the less fortunate.
“I learnt that it’s good to give and there’s a lot of people overseas that need help, that don’t have what they need,” she said.
Student Georgia Radevski said she had lots of fun going shopping with her mum to help fill the boxes.
“I put nail polish and pencils in one of the girl boxes and then I donated a dinosaur and a teddy for the boy's box,” she said.
For more information about the appeal visit www.samaritanspurse.org.au
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