The Christmas basket program at Alexander Galt Regional High School has a long history of providing a little extra food and good cheer over the holidays for those students and their families who are most in need. Given that fact, there was some surprise expressed in the community after, at the last Council of Commissioners meeting of the Eastern Townships School Board, Commissioner Gordon Barnett was reported to have said that the program would be discontinued because of the amount of work involved.
Speaking with The Record on Wednesday, Barnett clarified that the program is being changed, rather than ended.
“Instead of collecting food and so on, which requires a lot of work to put together, they’re collecting money,” the commissioner said, explaining that his use of the word discontinued is still true in a manner of speaking.
“I guess it depends on how you look at it,” Barnett said “The way it was is going to be discontinued but the program will continue in another form.”
Galt’s Principal, Peggy McCourt, explained that the program is being streamlined at the school itself, but should change very little from the perspective of those receiving the baskets. Whereas in the past donations of non-perishable goods were received at the school and assembled into baskets on-site, Galt will be working this year with the Lennoxville Provigo, collecting financial donations that will then be used by the grocery store to create a well-balanced box that will be the same for all families.
Read the full story in Friday’s Record.