Lent is nearing its end, and the Airdrie Knights of Columbus are busy with their annual 40 Cans for Lent project.
The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic fraternal organization dedicated to promoting and conducting educational, charitable, religious, and social welfare works.
The 40 Cans for Lent project, now in its sixth year, brings together Airdrie’s four Catholic schools and Airdrie’s St. Paul's Catholic Church parish in raising funds and collecting food donations to support the Airdrie Food Bank.
Lent is the forty-day liturgical season of fasting, special prayer and almsgiving in preparation for Easter for Catholics. The project, 40 Cans for Lent, therefore represents the 40 days of Lent.
Collecting food for the food bank is a way of almsgiving and motivates students to help others in preparation for Easter, explained Wayne MacGillivary from Airdrie’s Knights of Columbus.
“It teaches [students] a little bit about giving back and about almsgiving, hopefully taking these ideas into when they're adults as well to help their communities,” he said.
The goal is for a person to donate up to 40 cans – one for every day of the lenting season leading up to Easter.
While it’s not intended as a competition, Airdrie’s Knights of Columbus rewards the school that raises the most pounds of food. MacGillivary explained the head office of the Knights of Columbus gives back $500 if one organization gathers 2,500 pounds of food.
“We give that $500 back to the school raising the most pounds with the idea that they use it for their breakfast program for the students,” MacGillivary said.
The Knights calibrate the food and money collected on an equal scale to identify the top collecting school. Last year, the project raised over $18,000, according to MacGillivary, and in the first five years, the initiative raised roughly $100,000.
“All the schools are doing different projects so we're really happy with what they've been doing,” MacGillivary said.
Our Lady Queen of Peace School in Airdrie has raised $2,345.66 so far in donations for the Airdrie Food Bank, plus they have more than 15 boxes of food, according to their principal, Michelle Davies.
Our Lady Queen of Peace surpassed their last year’s donation of $1,600, added Felicia Zuniga, senior communications specialist for Calgary Catholic School District.
Instead of collecting 40 cans each day for Lent, OLQP opted for several in-school challenges, rewarding the top fundraising classes with popcorn parties and additional gym classes. Those extras help bring in money, according to Davies.
“There's lots of excitement with this initiative for our school community. We've had a tremendous response from families,” Davies said.
One of their challenges has been Change for Change, where students collect pocket change to raise funds for the project.
Cheers can be heard down the school’s hallways after daily announcements declare the top fundraising class, Davies said.
“This is outstanding, there has been so much excitement in the building in the last month since we started Lent,” she added.
The healthy competition versus the other local Catholic schools all lead back to their faith and the act of providing hope for other people, she noted.
“The fact that we can provide hope for people in Airdrie, because the food goes to the Airdrie Food Bank, it's just our way for Our Lady Queen of Peace to give back that sense of hope to people,” Davies said.
Lent is a time of giving and Davies noted this is a wonderful way of giving back to the community.
Other schools participating in 40 Cans for Lent include Good Shepherd School, St. Martin de Porres High School, and St. Veronica School.
Patrick Quinn, the principal at St. Veronica, noted their school community, parents, and students have been extremely generous when it comes to donating food. He believes the 40 Cans for Lent initiative is a great way for students to get involved in helping others and prepare themselves for Easter.
