As the Ottawa Mission gets ready to serve a record number of Thanksgiving meals this week, students from an Ottawa school held a food drive, collecting frozen turkeys for a good cause. Students from Elmwood School brought turkeys to the Ottawa Mission on Thursday, delivered on bus. “It’s the Elmwood Turkey Trot,” says Naomi Baird, one of several students in the group helping to collect — and personally drop off — donated turkeys. “Our school has been doing this initiative for about five years, where we drop off as many turkeys as we can to kind of help out around Thanksgiving,” she says. Students making a difference with their donation of 37 turkeys. “This is fantastic. To me, this is two things. It represents how this community always comes through. But secondly, such a young demographic getting engaged and doing better for their community,” says Peter Tilley, Ottawa Mission CEO. “I think it’s really important for the community because it can be a very lonely time for different individuals. And so, I think helping everyone to come together as a community, it makes a really big difference,” adds Baird. The Ottawa Mission says it’s seeing another year of record need. The donation will be put to very good use. “At a record time of need, helping us cope with this increased demand,” says Tilley. Students are also raising cash for the Mission, raising more than $20,000 over the last five years, according to the school. “I think that no matter anybody’s situation, they should be able to enjoy their holiday to the fullest. If we can help them do that, then I think that’s great,” says Sofia McGarrity, another student. “There’s a lot of really lucky people at our school. And so, we want to share that with as many people as we can,” says Pam Royce, who is part of the initiative. The group of students also went behind-the-scenes at the Mission, seeing where meals are prepared in the commercial kitchen, “I’m so impressed by everything that they’re doing. I think it’s such an important part of the community, and it’s just really great to see that there are people who are working so hard to help the community,” says Baird
