Remote northern community overwhelmed by massive donation from Leamington school

A massive shipment of food, clothing and toys from a LeamingtonCatholic school finally arrived at the remote northern Ontario community of Bearskin Lake First Nation on Thursday.

Staff and students at Saint-Michel Catholic elementary school inLeamingtonsent thesupplies to the smallOji-Creereserve, located more than 600 kilometres north of Thunder Bay.

• CBC Thunder Bay's Sounds Of the Season celebrates a plane full of food bound for northern First Nation

The shipment of 68 large plastic totes stuffedwith donated goods travelledabout 1,500 km by road and by air over an eight-day stretch.

Emotions were high in both communities after the shipment arrived. First came the reaction from Bearskin Lake, where school principal, Larry Beardywatched in awe as the gear was unloaded from a charter plane.

"It'smegaproportions compared to what we normally get support and help with," he said. "Having that amount of stuff being sent to the kids andfamilies up here is just unbelievable. Words can't describehow grateful the people are."

Students at Saint-Michel in Leamington started out with a simple plan to collectenough donations to fill 25 plastic totes, which is one bin for every class. Within 10 days, the school had stacks of 68 totes filled with everything from oats and rice to hockey sticks and skates.

"I started running back and forth to Home Depot to pick up other bins," said Richard Szwed, the school principal who organized the campaign.

On Friday, students watched a video of the shipment arriving

Szwed first learned about Bearskin Lake from a colleague.He contacted the school principal in Bearskin Lake,Larry Beardy, and came up with a list of items the community needs.

Food items included pasta, rice and oats. Outdoor wear included snow pants, jackets, mittens and toques. The community also needed clothing for men, women and children.

After eight days in trucks and on a plane, the 68 totes are expected to arrive Thursday at noon.

"It's been a real pleasure to talk with [Szwed] unconditionally helping our people and without any judgment or expectations in return," Beardytold CBC News.

Toys and school supplies were also important, but it was the community's love of hockey that inspired the Leamington school to include about 30 pairs of hockey skates and sticks.

"They are avid hockey fans," Szwedsaid. "They enjoy putting skates on and getting out on the frozen pond."

Students at Saint-Michel have learned a few things along the way, including a few Cree words, which are written on the chalkboard at school.

"I believe it's going to be one of those lifelong experiences that they won't soon forget," Szwed said.

Beardyis excited for the donations to arrive, recognizing the generosity from people he has never met.

"It's not cheap to ship stuff up here," Beardy said. "They certainly will be touched for a long, long time if not forever for the good deedthat these wonderful people are doing."