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Grade 11 student Christian Teklu holds a red wagon, the namesake of the campaign next to Grade 12 student Brenda Obaseki. Both students have participated in multiple red wagon campaigns during their time at Archbishop Denis O’Connor Catholic High School.
Photo courtesty DCDSB Communications
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OSV Newsillustration/Dado Ruvic, Reuters
In Ajax, Ont., one Catholic school continues to pull out all the stops to better the Christmas season for those in need in their community.
Archbishop Denis O’Connor Catholic High School is one of the many schools within the Durham Catholic District School Board that has hosted socially conscious events over the Advent season. What makes Denis O’Connor’s offering special is its longevity, with its annual Red Wagon Campaign a seasonal staple for close to 35 years.
The initiative gets its name from a touching interaction during Christmas shopping between one of the Catholic high school’s former teachers and a stranger many years ago.
“It was over three decades ago that one of our teachers noticed a boy and his mother shopping for Christmas presents and he overheard the boy ask for a red wagon. The mom let out a sigh and told the boy that they couldn’t afford it. That teacher ended up buying the red wagon for the young boy before bringing the story and the passion of generosity and its effects back to the school,” said Tim Lee Loy, chaplain at Archbishop Dennis O'Connor.
Lee Loy said the story has become something of a legend among staff and students over the years, cementing the Red Wagon Campaign as an annual event over the holiday season. The chaplain recalls Grade 9 students brand new to the school asking him about the initiative after hearing their now-graduated siblings rave about the joyful benefits of supporting those within the school and the community.
Grade 12 student Brenda Obaseki describes the process as spontaneous, with various fundraising opportunities such as non-uniform days, student buy-outs from the student athletic association and other clubs, an angel tree, bingo games, bake sales and student raffles all helpiing to raise funds.
Grade 11 student Christian Teklu has experienced the Red Wagon Campaign’s non-stop nature for three years now, something he describes as a rite of passage for students every year at Christmas.
“It’s always a fun time and it is always for a good cause too. No kid and no family should have a Christmas without presents or a nice meal, and so the Red Wagon Campaign, to me, has always felt like a great way to give families those things no matter what,” he said.
Apart from students, staff are also able to sponsor a family in need and provide specific necessities they may be lacking. There are also opportunities to donate cash online directly to the initiative. Through the donations raised by the school, a sizable number of families will be supported during the Christmas season, something Lee Loy was hoping for before this year’s initiative got underway.
“Before the holiday season even started, we saw an increase in the amount of families that could be in need during this time. With that, we are hoping to raise close to $10,000 through the campaign this year,” he said. “We are continuing to try and invite people into the Christmas season through the spirit of giving and embody the true meaning of what Christmas is about.”
Funds will also go directly to support families through St. Bernadette Parish and its St. Vincent de Paul Society.
To Obaseki, the Catholic principles exemplified by the Red Wagon Campaign have been an important reminder to her and her fellow students.
“It is something that Jesus has called us to do as people of this Earth, we are supposed to be giving to the needy and the hungry and I think a good Christmas should go to every child and every family,” she said. “The Red Wagon Campaign is very Christ-like and it allows us to be like the servants Jesus called us to live like.”
Seeing students' dedication toward helping those in need, especially during a time of year rife with challenges for so many, has been the greatest gift of all for Lee Loy.
“I’m happy that they have identified themselves as the hands and feet of Christ, not just during our Christmas campaign, but throughout the year. It’s this thread of faith that has been woven through the actions of our students that are impacting their peers in terms of showing examples of kindness that continue to spark the spirit of giving.”
A version of this story appeared in the December 22, 2024, issue of The Catholic Registerwith the headline "Ajax students hop on 'Red Wagon' charity drive".
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