From a cooking club to new iPads, Winnipeg business owners bring spirit of giving to North End school

Christmas came early for a classroom of students at StrathconaSchool, in WInnipeg's North End, thanks to the generosity of a few local business owners.

For the past four years, Dave and JoanneProvinciano, who own the auto supply shop Pro Body Parts, have been opening up their chequebook to help children attending Strathcona.

On Thursday, they brought the latest results of that generosity to the school new iPads and other resources for a Grade 2 classroom.

"Who likes to read on iPads?" Dave Provincianoasked to roars of approval from students on Thursday, as the tablets were delivered to Strathcona.

The genesis of theirsupportwas in a churchdinner with Silvana Lao, a teacher at the school.

Lao mentioned the struggles her Grade 2 students were facing,ranging from hungerto not having basic school necessities.

"I spoke to Dave at this dinner and he listened the entire time," said Lao.

"As he was leaving he shook my hand. He said, 'Feed the kidsthis is for your kids,' and slipped me something. It was $500."

"She told me about some of the challenges that she faces every day," said JoanneProvinciano. "Students are eager and want to learn [but can't] when they come to school hungry."

Cooking club

Six months after the initial $500 donation, the Provincianos cut another cheque and sent it to Lao in mailthis time for$2,000 to start a cooking club for herclass.

"We started a little cooking club [to]give them to tools to work with to better themselves, and learn to work in a kitchen," said Joanne.

Lao began the cooking club, and year after year the Provinciaos would come back to her, asking her what she needed.

"It's far-fetched, I told her this year, but we need iPads. We have to share 20 across five classrooms, and kids love to read [on them]," said Lao.

With that wish list, the Provincianos began togather the gifts and got others involved.

"We got two, then mentioned it to three of our friends. That's how we got here today. It's a small thing," said Joanne.

One of the friends, WalterChomichuk, a career school educator who was a principal for 22 years inSt. Boniface, knew he had to get involved.

"I instantly perked up.I knew the importance I had to get in. They all need it," he said. Chomichuk donated oneiPad, and he convinced two local realtors topitch in, too.

Overall, Lao's classroom received five iPads, one Samsung tablet, Lego toys and snacks this year.

Few have computers at home

StrathconaprincipalAnastasia Sych-Yereniuk, who has been at the helm of the school for 21 years, said students need to be exposed to technology to keep up.

"They're very capable and don't necessarily have the technology at home to do things like extra research," she said.

"I would estimate that probably only five per cent of our children have computers in their homes."

The school'stechnology lab gets an updateevery five years, but with 20 iPads for an entire school, the access isn't always there when needed.

"This helps equalize the playing field. They now can read and learn what kids their age are. It's huge," said Lao.

Withstudents coming from homes that sometimes lackresources, Sych-Yereniuk says what happens inside the school is important.

"We only have the children for five-and-a-half hours a day, and we need to make sure that we maximize every absolute minute of learning time," she said.

Future plan

The Provincianos and Chomichuk say they're not done helping out the students at school quite yet.

"It's just a start. We're just a small group of people," said DaveProvinciano.

"There are a lot of people out there willing to give. You just have to show them they way. We have a pathway for them to do it."

Chomichuk wants to spread the wealth to other classes across the school now.

"It's beautiful to see them get this, but now, I want everyone to get up to speed, too," he said.

Over the next few months, DaveProvinciano said he intends to reach out to his vast business network and encourage others to "adopt a class" like he and Joanne have.

"It's our challenge to make it happenfor every classroom here."

From a cooking club to new iPads, Winnipeg business owners bring spirit of giving to North End school

6 years ago

Duration 2:16

Christmas came early for a classroom of students at Strathcona School, in WInnipeg's North End, thanks to the generosity of a few local business owners.