Layne Christensen News Reporter layne@nsnews.cont NORTH Van school children have reached out to the youngest victims of the Montreal ice storm. Students at Mulgrave School shipped boxes of toys, books, games and snack food to Montreal fast Friday in hopes their donations would give some comtort to the many children who remain contined to temporary. shel- Ters. Teachers Anne Millerd and Sharon Vipond coordi- nated the effort with assis- tance from parent Mclanie Claranee. Ir was Clarance, whose two children attend the inde- pendent school, who alerted teachers to the plight of chil- dren in Quebec. Clarance, an investment manager, was in Montreal on business the week of Jan. 5 when the so-called “storm of the century” descended on the city, felling trees and ‘power lines and leaving some three million residents with- out electricity. For Clarance, the severity of the crisis hit home. She and the other hatel guests were under literal house arrest for three days. Shards of ice falling from tall buildings posed extreme haz- ard to anyone caught out- doors. The day before her arrival, a large block of ice plurmmet- ed through a skylight into the horel ballroom, where guests had been enjoying a buffet just a half-hour betore. Clarance sent a 10-page fax oro the children at Mulgrave, detailing her expe- riences through the eves of a Quebee child: ice cream melted in freezers, no school, no TV, no Nintendo. Upon her return home she contacted Millerd and Vipond, teacher sponsors of NEWS photo Mike Waketield MUL.GRAVE students pack treats and toys for distrib- ution among Montreal children affected by last month's ice storm. The boxes were shipped fast week. Do something special for your loved one this February 14th - let Pacific Spirit Air take you on a spectacular flight through the Gulf Islands. You alight at the Cedar Beach Resort on the shores of St. Mary's Lake, Sait Spring Istand, where you will spend a romantic evening (or two if you choose) away from. the distractions of city life. At the end of your weekend, Pacific Spirit Air will again fly you over the Gulf Island on your way home. the Kids Care Club, a com- munity service club orga- nized by Mulgrave school children. The kids were mobilized into action. In just four days, the chil- dren had collected enough used toys, books and games to fill four medium-sized moving boxes. The boxes were shipped out Jan. 29 to Sun Youth, a Montreal-based — children’s charity, which planned to dis- tnbute the items to needy children there this week. Mulgrave students had been generous in their dona- tions, said Millerd. Of the voung children who gave away their stuffed toys, many “came to the door hugging them. “It was nice to see.” “Sterling Sitver and 14kt Gold Ring” Friday, February 6, 1998 — North Shore News - 13 omfort donated to Quebec kids The childrea included let- ters and Polaroid pictures with their donations. The community, too, was generous in its support of the aid effort, said Clarance. Grant Ayers of Edgemont Moving and Storage donated the moving boxes. Zarke Perko of Adis Courier deliv- ered the shipment to the Vancouver airport. Kevin Young, owner of Extra Foods on North Road in Coquitlam, donated — chil- dren’s snacks. A national air- line, which asked not to be named, carried the cargo to Montreal for free. Though it is now four weeks after the storm first hit, the school didn’t doubt its donations would fill a need. While the power crisis is no longer front-page news, many families are still without power. As of last Friday, che day the school’s shipment arrived act Dorval Airport, 35,000 Hydro-Quebee customers were without — electricity. Power is not expected to return to some communities until Feb. 15. Meanwhile, Mulgrave stu- dents have benefitted from their experience, said Clarance. “This was a wonderful object lesson in compassion, geography, emergency pre- paredness and national unity,” she said. Said Millerd: “Children are given so much these days. “It’s nice for them to know that they can share.” David Neel Studio Custom Native Jewellery Custom Jewellery for Valentine's Day Consult with the Artist 441 W. 3rd St., North Vancouver — Artist Studio — 988-9215 ae ri, 7pm “921-2646. rents . vo ae Fri until 9pm. 966-7374