A hit close to home for a teacher in Maple Ridge.

Michele Neale, a Grade 1/2 teacher at Glenwood elementary, heard about the fire while watching Vancouver Island news at home.

Neale, who was raised on Vancouver Island and whose family has summer homes on Hornby Island, said that91裸聊视频檚 why the event stood out to her when it came on the television.

91裸聊视频淚n a small community like on Hornby Island, the school is more than just a school, it91裸聊视频檚 your community centre, it draws people together, it91裸聊视频檚 devastating for an island,91裸聊视频� said Neale about why she decided to talk about the event in her classroom during the first week of school.

The fire at Hornby Island Community School broke out in the early morning hours on Aug. 26 and heavily damaged the school deeming it unsafe to use for the upcoming school year.

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Neale91裸聊视频檚 class made up of 18 students that she had the previous year, who were waiting for the new class configurations to move into their Grade 2/3 class, decided to write a letter to the students displaced from the fire.

91裸聊视频淲e talked about how sad they would be feeling and the things they would be missing from their classroom (if there was a fire),91裸聊视频� explained Neale.

And after her students indicated that they would miss the loss of books the most, Neale decided to purchase a few books to send along with the letter.

91裸聊视频淲e were sad to hear about your school fire,91裸聊视频� began the letter addressed to the primary children at the school.

91裸聊视频淲e know fires can be scary and do a lot of damage. We wanted you to know that we are thinking about your loss. We also wanted to bring some joy to your school lives. We know books make us happy, smarter and better readers. We thought some new books could help rebuild your classroom collection. We hope you have a good year,91裸聊视频� the letter continued, signed by the students in division 14.

The students picked out the books for Neale to purchase including Pig the Star by Aaron Blabey, The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown, Elephant and Piggie and Don91裸聊视频檛 Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems and The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson.

Neale sent off the package Sept. 14.

91裸聊视频淲e just wanted to show them that there are people out here that care about what happened to you and that this was just a little token to show we are thinking of you and hope you have a good year,91裸聊视频� said Neale.

Students Payton Truc and William Page helped to write the letter to send in the package.

91裸聊视频漌e felt bad about their school. I would probably cry if it was my school. I would want other people to be kind to me,91裸聊视频� said Payton.

91裸聊视频淲e wanted to show kindness and to make some new friends,91裸聊视频� noted William.

Since the fire, a 25-year-old Comox Valley man has been arrested and charged with arson in relation to the fire.

More than 40 students had to start off the school year at Tribune Bay Outdoor Education Centre on Hornby Island.

Comox Valley Schools have since leased Room to Grow and the community hall from the Hornby Island Educational Society and Hornby Island Residents91裸聊视频� and Ratepayers91裸聊视频� Association for use from Monday to Thursday each week until a new permanent space is available.

Neale says her class learned how important kindness is and how you don91裸聊视频檛 need to receive something back for an act of kindness.