Parents of students at Brookswood Secondary surprised their kids on Friday (Dec. 1) with a flash mob in front of the school.
About 10 people gathered across from the student parking lot and broke out their best moves while Tom Jones鈥� It鈥檚 Not Unusual (the Carlton), the Chicken Dance and Bust A Move blasted from the PA System.
鈥淲ith everything negative that鈥檚 been happening in 91原创, and Brookswood in general, I think it鈥檚 good to bring the community out to have a good time, and laugh and dance and show the kids it could be worse,鈥� said Dawn Ritchot, organizer of the event.
Ritchot, who has a son in Grade 9 at the school, rallied the parents by posting the idea on the Brookswood Community Facebook page. She asked if other parents wanted to have a good laugh and spread some holiday cheer, especially after the stressful code red lockdown that happened at the school on Nov. 22.
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鈥淓veryday this week my son and I have been having a conversation about how my music is too loud and I bebop while I鈥檓 waiting (only to good songs). So I鈥檓 thinking it might be a good time to have some fun, considering all the crap going on in this community lately,鈥� she wrote on Facebook.
鈥淲e all need a good laugh and I鈥檓 thinking instead of sitting in our cars, we all get out, stand together and do the Carlton (as the kids are billowing out of course).鈥�
That post received 163 likes and more than 300 comments 鈥� and despite only 10 of those people coming out to dance 鈥� the parents still felt they made a difference. Many also brought non-perishable food items and unwrapped toys to contribute to the school鈥檚 Christmas fundraising efforts.
One participant, Vicky O鈥機onnor, doesn鈥檛 have any children at Brookswood Secondary, but after seeing the Facebook post she wanted to show her support.
鈥淚 came from an abusive home, and these parents obviously love their kids, and I think people like that need support,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have to come, I don鈥檛 even live right here. But what they鈥檙e doing is wonderful, and I wanted to stand up and be counted as being in support of it.鈥�
