Grade 8 students from Ecole Airdrie Middle School have been serving at the Calgary Drop In Centre for years and were recently rewarded for it.

Students and staff were given the Joy Award for their volunteer service to the Centre, something that teacher Doug Schroeder says they've been doing for quite some time.

"Every year we raise enough money through our Wednesday pizza lunches to send five groups of Grade 8's to prepare a meal and serve it. We work in the clothing room there, we bus the tables afterwards and get a tour of the facility."

The Joy Award from The Calgary Drop In Centre (Photo Courtesy: Amanda Russell/Ecole Airdrie Middle School)

Schroeder says that the pizza lunches pay for all of the $6000 a year needed to send the kids.

While receiving the award is a great honour, Schroeder says the greatest joy comes from the students desire to help out.

"When we're busing the tables at the end of the meal, it's hard to get them off the floor because they want to finish up what they're doing, they don't want to leave until everything is cleaned up and perfect. It's really amazing to see."

This is the second time that Ecole Airdrie has won the Joy award and Schroeder says the Drop In Centre always shows their gratitude which adds to the learning experience for the students.

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