The PJs are up and about in the community By John Bkila OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Students in a St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School club are counting their blessings they haven't been affected by the extracurricular cancellations their public school counterparts have faced. The Peace and Justice Club, affectionately known as the PJs, advocates social justice in the community and beyond, and is a pet project of not only students, but its teacher co-ordinators, too. "What I love about not being on strike, is I still get to do this. I would be crying (if I couldn't)... somehow, social justice has become too important to me not to do this," said club founder Beth Robertson, the Canadian and World Studies department head at St. Thomas Aquinas who teaches history, law and human rights. Roberston was asked to establish the club by the school's chaplain in 2003 to facilitate social justice in the STA community. "I believe it's important because we're Catholic and this is what we're supposed to represent, social justice for others," she said. "I think it's so important kids realize volunteer work is not boring, and it's so necessary for others, even in your local community." Robertson co-ordinated the club herself for the first three years and it drew 35 students. Now, in its ninth year, the PJs includes more than 140 student members from Grades 9 through 12, along with seven staff supervisors. There is a student executive, which Robertson calls the club's backbone. It consists of a chair, secretary, two treasurers and four quad leaders -- members apply for the positions and are assigned by the teacher co-ordinators. The club meets Fridays after school from 2:30-3:45 p.m. (and sometimes later). First meeting in the school cafeteria, students then break off into four quad groups and work in different classrooms to plan various fundraisers and events benefitting the local and international communities. "At any given meeting we'll have at least 80 kids sitting here and people will walk by and say, `wow, that's Friday after school,'" Robertson said. "That many kids sitting there -- It's neat. That's the highlight." Being a PJ, however, isn't free, noted Robertson. Its members pay a $30 fee for the year, which covers snacks at the meetings, and $10 for a T-shirt to be worn at any PJ-related events. That way money the club raises goes to the charities, not the club, she said. Every year, the club raises approximately $20,000-$25,000. This year, the club is focusing on initiatives to aid groups providing services for those in need in Oakville and also locally-based NGOs (non-governmental organizations) that serve international needs. Organizations that partner with the put on by the club; held a dance for local Grades 7 and 8 students to raise money for the Learning Disabilities Association of Halton, which assists people with learning disabilities and their families -- approximately 300 students participated; completed a food drive for Fareshare, raising more than $400 and collecting a truckload of food and diapers; joined a rally in downtown Oakville supporting Bill C398, led by the Grandmothers Advocacy Network; hosted a firstever grandmothers/grandparents dinner in partnership with Oakville's oomama group, and was nominated for a YMCA Peace Medallion. Robertson says the great thing about the club is its diverse membership, which includes athletes, non-athletes, and special-education students. "I think it's really good," she said. "There are probably only a third of the students that do it for their community hours, because it's all volunteer, but the majority keep going. "It's nice that they're not only willing to pay a membership for their own snacks, while they're doing things for others, but that they support organizations themselves by bringing in food or donating funds -- especially when there's lots of things pulling at these kids at school, like other fundraisers and charities put on by other school groups. So it's great to watch their continued support," Robertson added. For more on the club, visit its Facebook page at www.facebook. com/groups/25906399218, or website at https:// sites.google.com/site/stapeaceandjustice. 23 · Wednesday, January 16, 2013 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com ERIC RIEHL / OAKVILLE BEAVER / @halton_photog PEACE: Peace and Justice Club members at St. Thomas Aquinas, from left, Nadia Ramroops, Annie Jung and Joseph Cutruzzola. The group of approximately 150 students regularly meets Friday after school and ultimately effects change in school and the community. PJs, visit the school and make presentations to the club's members and staff -- that helps educate and inspire the students and staff involved and forms a strong relationship between the club and the organizations, noted Robertson. "We try to make it that kind of mentality -- it's a learning thing for the group," she said. "A lot of it is really student-driven -- do they have a particular area of passion for a particular group that they want the club to support? It's also really important we teach them how to research groups to connect with and how much of the money raised is actually going towards that group. I really feel strongly they need to learn about all kinds of groups in our community that they can work with after they leave high school." The PJs' charitable resumé is an extensive one: they have assisted the YMCA, Oakville Hospital Foundation, oomama, Fareshare food bank, Kerr Street Ministries and Habitat for Humanity, among others. Last year, the PJs presented a $750 cheque to the YMCA of Oakville for its Strong Kids Campaign, which was raised from a coffee house your online source for FREE online coupons ROLLSHUTTERS The Maximum in Security & Privacy. General Mills family of brands! Now part of the OUR GIFT TO YOU! GET $ 50 1 OFF IN COUPONS! EST. 1966 ROLLSHUTTERS A DIVISION OF JANS A AWNING PRODUCTS www.jansrollshutters.com SHOWROOM 4361 Harvester Road, Burlington 905 335 3733 Coupons at www.save.ca/savingsmadedelicous Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/savedotca is a division of Uncompromised Quality Since 1966