After a semester of exciting activities, LEAP will say goodbye to its students for the winter break with a festive party that promises Christmas cheer.
The party will take place Dec. 2 in the International Building foyer starting at 7 p.m. Norah Vander Haas, who can often be found at the LEAP desk, has participated in the organization for this event three years in a row.
In total, 15 volunteers were involved in organizing this event, finding new ideas to make this year’s party different from the rest. Organizers are hoping both domestic and international students can enjoy the holiday.
“We decorate cookies, and we make ornaments, and we do all those kinds of fun things, and that’s something that our international students don’t get the opportunity to do before they arrive a lot of times,” Vander Haas said.
The LEAP team’s goal is to try to highlight the best of the holiday season with everything colourful and glittery, an endeavour requiring a lot of work.
“Lots of Amazon orders. My living room is full of Amazon boxes right now,” Vander Haas said. “It’s a lot of organizing yourself and your volunteers, making lots of lists of materials and researching things like fun games to play.”
While this event is the last of the semester, Vander Haas is working hard to put together a community events board so the students staying on campus can continue to enjoy the season and get more involved In the community.
“There’s quite a lot happening In Kamloops. The Santa Claus parade, all the Christmas markets going on, and all those different fun things I think students should go see,” Vander Haas said.
LEAP has had an exciting semester with activities never seen before. A favourite for Vander Haas was the Kangaroo Creek Farm in Kelowna, a first for her as well.
“We got to go and pet all kinds of different critters. It was a great day. Quite relaxing, and it was sunny and warm. Yeah, we had a great time,” Vander Haas said.
Among some other places, LEAP took students to Armstrong, Falkland and even Vancouver for a day full of shopping. Vander Haas says the most important thing about these activities is giving students a well-deserved break.
“I would love for students to focus on their mental health and their wellness and balance,” Vander Haas said. “A lot of students get their heads stuck in the books or on assignments at this time of year, and they forget that they are human too.”
The LEAP Instagram page keeps an updated schedule for any upcoming semester events. All ticket purchases are done through the link on the page. Vander Haas can also be found at the LEAP desk in the International Building from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.