Forest Grove Elementary has partnered with a nearby pizza restaurant to raise money for the school’s garden program.
The program, which has been running for roughly three years at Forest Grove, teaches kids about seeds and how to grow their own food and cook it. Restaurant owner Zakir Somani has a son in Grade 5 who attends Forest Grove.
“I saw the kids working in the garden,” said Somani, who owns Canadian Pizza Plus. “I came up with this little idea: If I could get (food) from them, and in return, give it back to the community, that would be a wonderful idea.”
As part of the pizza partnership, parents with children attending Forest Grove should have received a membership card from the school. For every menu item sold at the local restaurant, 10 per cent of the price will go to the garden program, as long as the parents show their card or mention it on the phone for takeout orders.
“All these parents, they are always ordering from us,” Somani said. “It’s a cashless donation, without any effort, parents are automatically giving.”
The family-run restaurant is also using garlic and oregano from the students’ garden, and Somani’s mother makes the pizza sauce.
“It comes from the garden, from the sweat of the little kids,” he added, laughing.
Forest Grove students can also sign up to learn how to make a pizza at Canadian Pizza Plus. If any parent did not receive card, there are more available at the restaurant. Canadian Pizza Plus is at 8650 Cinnamon Dr.
Helping the hungry on Halloween
Burnaby resident Peter Cech sent us a note about local elementary students who decided to turn their trick-or-treating opportunity into a philanthropic endeavor.
The leadership club at Confederation Park Elementary spent Oct. 31 collecting donations for the food bank. The students delivered notices to homes on three different blocks in the Heights neighbourhood, alerting people that they would be collecting non-perishable items for the food bank, instead of candy for themselves.
Cech said the response was overwhelming, and the students collected roughly 215 items weighing 185 pounds.
Dry grad donations sought
Parents of students at Burnaby Mountain Secondary are looking for donations to help their kids raise money for an alcohol-free graduation party in 2014. The students have opted for a boat cruise, and the parent committee is seeking items for prizes in their raffle draw. The raffle ticket sales will help fund the boat cruise. The parents are also looking for local businesses to donate goods, cash or services (think gift cards, experience packages or coupons), and the committee can issue tax receipts for $20 or more.
To help the cause and support student sobriety, email [email protected].
