To give them a good start to the school year, 75 kids received backpacks filled with school supplies and other gifts at an event that brought together a group of charities and non-profits in east Richmond last week.

Families came to meet BC Lions players, Surrey Eagles hockey players, RCMP officers and representatives of various charities, including the Henry Schein Foundation, Islamic Relief Canada, Richmond Sunrise Rotary, DuMonde Helping Hands and Semo Foundation at the Riverside Palace Banquet Hall last Tuesday evening.

Harvey Kooner has been organizing the Victor Ghirra Toy Drive for almost two decades. A few years ago, he was approached by the Henry Schein Foundation which wanted to donate backpacks to kids going back to school in September.

Kooner said he could provide a venue an

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