Submitted by School District 8
One positive aspect of this difficult time is the numerous examples of others who have gone out of their way to care about their neighbours. The Kootenay Lake school district has had this happen for them from one of its global partners.
Xavier Song and his family, who will soon be moving to Nelson and who have been partners with the Kootenay Lake International Program for many years, have sent 200 masks to support the community.
Song, the CEO of G-Elite Education company, currently lives in Chengdu, China which is famous for its wild panda population. His company has co-operated with School District 8 since 2015 and has sent more than 15 Chinese students and teachers to enjoy the short-term winter camps hosted by SD8 Kootenay Lake.
He and his family visited the Kootenay in January 2016 and immediately fell in love with the scenery and people and saw international education business opportunities. Song applied to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada and was successful in being approved for a work permit to develop a new educational company in Canada. He would like to continue to be a bridge between Chengdu and Nelson, developing more exchange opportunities for teenagers and teachers.
Song, his wife and daughter have planned to arrive in Nelson in July, if borders are opened. He looks forward to making more friends in Nelson and learning more local history.
“My family and I will live in Nelson, so the mask donation is certainly my duty as a member of the Nelson family,” Song said.
The masks will likely be used to support schools, but SD8 Kootenay Lake is also contacting local health authorities to inform them of this gift in case a greater need is identified.