In a recent act of kindness, the Garden Valley School Division (GVSD) donated 50 surplus desks to a school in Mexico. The desks, which were no longer needed in GVSD classrooms, found new life thanks to a simple request and a strong community connection.
Dan Ward, Superintendent of GVSD, explains that the donation came about through a straightforward inquiry. “Before Christmas, one of our schools received a query from a school in Mexico.” Ward shares. "A teacher was spending the year teaching at the Oaks of Righteousness, and they had reached out for help."
A simple request sparks generosity
One of our custodians at one of our elementary schools heard about the request and put out a call to see if any schools had surplus desks,” Ward continues. “We always ensure that all of our schools are well supplied and offer furniture, tables, desks, and technology to any schools in need.”
The desks were part of the surplus inventory that GVSD regularly assesses for reuse or donation. “Even with those protocols in place, we often end up with furniture that we simply cannot use. We tend to replace our furniture over time, and these desks were still perfectly usable,” Ward explains. “They just weren’t being used at the Parkland school, so we determined we had 50 desks that were available for donation.”
Transporting the desks to Mexico
The logistics of the donation were made simpler by the fact that an individual who was already travelling to Mexico was able to transport the desks. “We had a gentleman who was on his way to the school in Mexico, and he picked them up. That’s how it all came together,” Ward says.
Ward emphasizes that this donation aligns with GVSD’s commitment to sustainability. “We’d rather see the desks put to good use than end up in a landfill or a scrap yard,” he states. “Old desks like this wouldn’t fetch very much, so we often look for ways to donate surplus items when we can.”
Although the desks were sent in late November, Ward has not yet received feedback from the school in Mexico. "We haven’t received any feedback to date, but we plan to reach out now that we’re into January," he says. "Hopefully, they’ve been able to put them to good use."
A culture of giving
For GVSD, donating surplus desks is part of a larger philosophy of making sure resources don’t go to waste. “It’s just about being resourceful,” Ward says. “We try to make sure that when we have surplus desks or other furniture, we look for ways to ensure that they can benefit someone else.”
Ward hopes this donation is just one example of how GVSD can make a positive impact beyond its own classrooms. "We’d always rather see items like this go to schools or communities where they can be put to good use," he concludes.
With files from Alexander Peters