When fare is more than food
Wesley has always taken its responsibility to develop well-rounded individuals as seriously as the academic, sporting and the arts programs. However, there is another Wesley focal point that doesn’t always get the attention it should – namely, community service. Wesley has such a rich history of giving, embedded in our Methodist past, to people who are doing it tough.
Glen Waverley Year 9 students have been confronted with hunger - to them a most alien concept. Participating in FareShare teams (a not-for-profit organisation situated in Abbotsford) students have been learning about the real problem of hunger existing within our affluent society. This knowledge is not an abstraction, located merely “in the head”, but has been gained by hands-on experience. Absorbing the passion and commitment of FareShare and its many volunteers, Wesley students have been collecting donated food from supermarkets, farmers and markets. They have helped prepare and distribute healthy and nutritious meals to hungry Victorians, free of cost.
As always, our students rose to the challenge. There is something inspiring in observing young people making a tangible difference. Again, there is a deeply ingrained philanthropy within the Wesley ethos, for the many generations of Wesley students have sought to develop social consciousness. This comment from Yumi Sollier Smith, the Glen Waverley Year 9 Cluster Leader, illustrates the point. Embracing the philanthropic values espoused by individual Wesley teachers, many students embark upon a lifelong pathway of philanthropic endeavour:
From my experience, students who direct their energies toward philanthropic ventures appear to be more satisfied with themselves and life in general, compared to those who do not entertain this “life approach”. If a student truly explores what it means to support another human being with no agenda for personal gain, the reward is beyond what tangible gratuity can provide. It is personal and deep, with the satisfaction achieved being long-lasting and memorable.
