Photo Credit: County of Grande Prairie Facebook / Whispering Ridge Community School

By Shane Clausing

Community

Whispering Ridge Community School students send their thanks to County firefighters

May 27, 2021 | 5:40 PM

Students at Whispering Ridge Community School paid it back to members of the County of Grande Prairie Regional Fire Service this week, as they sent cards and pictures of thanks to local fire departments for helping save their school in April.

In April, County of Grande Prairie fire crews were called to a fire inside the portable classrooms at Whispering Ridge School.

Crews were able to extinguish the fire once they arrived on the scene and prevent the fire from spreading further. However, the modular classrooms were damaged to the point where the K-1 students were relocated to the Grande Prairie Alliance Church, who offered their space to the school, for the remainder of the year.

Unfortunately in the fire, many students lost their school items and supplies, so firefighters from the Dunes, County, Wembley and Clairmont fire departments banded together in May and helped buy and replace the students’ school supplies that was damaged in the fire.

Assistant Principal at Whispering Ridge, Abby Stilwell, says because of the hard work and generosity of the firefighters, they felt it was important to show their appreciation.

Meaningful Mementos

Remembering Someone You've Lost at Christmas

Dec 03, 2024

Seasonal Sorrow

How Do You Get Through The Holidays When You're Grieving?

Nov 01, 2024

Upcoming Events at Oliver's

Grief & Loss and Estate Planning Seminars

Oct 02, 2024

“We ended up making up cards and a picture frame for the four fire departments that came and saved our school. It was kind of a collective idea, all of the staff (got together) and thought, ‘how do you say thank you for someone who saves your building?’”

Photo Credit: County of Grande Prairie Facebook / Whispering Ridge Community School

The staff thought of the idea and told the K-1 students about it. The kids were excited and eager to make the cards.

“They were busy writing pictures and writing thank you notes,” said Stilwell. “The picture frames have student artwork inside of them, as well as class photos, (and) each fire department got one. They were customized for each fire department they were going to.”

The students hope the firefighters enjoy the token of appreciation.

Stilwell also hopes the students can learn a good lesson from this project.

“I think they are seeing firsthand the importance of community, generosity and appreciation. Trying to find the good in hard times.”