The students organised their own food drive for the Stawell Interchurch Welfare program last Wednesday.

The students have been involved in lessons entitled `Jesus Teaches us How to Live' and one particular lesson asked the children to consider the story of Jesus feeding the hungry people. Upon consideration of the story, the children were then invited to donate an item of non-perishable food to charity.

CRE Instructor and food drive coordinator Dorothy Wynd said the program went really well and parents and students responses were `just overwhelming'.

``The children were very excited at being able to help others in need and selected the Interchurch Welfare Program as the one they wanted to help most,'' Mrs Wynd said.

Mrs Wynd said that the children and particularly their parents were incredibly generous, with everyone donating something, even the families who may not have enough for themselves.

``The 502 parents and children are just wonderful. I had tears in my eyes,'' she said.

All donations will go to the Interchurch Welfare Program which is associated with the Salvation Army. Interchurch will distribute the donations to those who need them. Interchurch is open from 10am-12pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings for those who need assistance.

Mrs Wynd said that other schools in Stawell often do toy-drives and Christmas-tree drives for Interchurch, which is now taking orders for food hampers for Christmas.