By Laura Michell
Students from Mernda Primary School and Ivanhoe Grammar’s Plenty campus have put their time in lockdown to good use, creating a video to say thanks to emergency services.
Around 25 students from all year levels took part in the video to recognise the work the emergency services are doing to keep the community safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mernda Primary School chaplain Chantelle Olafsen came up with the idea for the video after reaching out to Mernda police station to ask if there was any way the school community could assist police during the pandemic.
“I think [the students] were really pleased to have the opportunity to thank the police and the emergency services as well, and having the connection with the local police makes it more personal as well,” she said.
Mernda police Senior Sergeant Daniel Jamison said the video had boosted morale at the station and throughout the wider police network after being shared on the Eyewatch Whittlesea Police Service Area Facebook page.
“Our members are out there every day in the community and they do have concerns, they have families, they are worried they might contract the virus and pass it on … something as small as this video has actually had a great impact on the morale within the station and [officers’] ability to actually go out and feel appreciated during this time,” he said.
“It has inspired police to better serve the community and it has inspired the youth to be appreciative of the people that are working on the frontline.”
To view the thank you video, visit: www.facebook.com/eyewatchwhittlesea/
