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REPULSE BAY
Students at Tusarvik School in Repulse bay enjoyed a special breakfast earlier this month.

Macload and Pakka Arnatsiaq, right, enjoy a special breakfast promoting piliriqatigiiniq (serving others) at Tusarvik School in Repulse Bay earlier this month. - photo courtesy of Jennifer Perry

The tasty eats were served as part of the school's Christmas festivities and also fit in well with the month's Inuit Quajimajatuqangit (IQ) principle of piliriqatigiiniq (serving others).

Teacher Jennifer Perry said Tusarvik School attempts to hold one large breakfast for the students every month.

She said the monthly treat is always looked forward to by the students.

"The kids usually get cereal, toast and juice for breakfast," said Perry.

"But, once a month, we try to provide a bigger breakfast of eggs, pancakes and fruit.

"The teachers come in and volunteer their time to prepare and serve the special breakfasts throughout the year.

"This most recent one fit in well with our monthly IQ principle, and we felt the last Friday before the Christmas holidays was a good time to hold it."

The monthly IQ principle was also served well by the arrival of the annual shipment of Christmas presents for Repulse kids sent by the Edmonton Lions Club.

The presents arrived just two days before Tusarvik closed for the holidays.

Perry said the kids eagerly anticipate the arrival of gifts from the Lions Club, but she's worried over a development this year with the cost of shipping the presents.

She said all the gifts were passed out on the final afternoon of school before the holidays on Dec. 14.

"We even have a number of kids who are, really, non-attenders, who come in on the last day of school before the holidays because they know there'll be a gift here for them.

"Most everyone in the community still seems genuinely proud of the fact the Edmonton Lions Club does this for us.

"Calm Air has always done the shipping for free on these gifts, but one of our Northern carriers charged the Lions Club $900 to ship the presents from Edmonton to Rankin Inlet this year.

"We're hoping that charge doesn't continue, or the gifts for the kids may not be as forthcoming in the future."

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