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When it comes to finding a way to make a positive impact on the world, Luke Wangler says that it helps to follow in his father's footsteps. He calls his dad Matthew “the ringleader."
“He got us into all this charity work," Luke said, but not in a way that sounded like he minds being led onto a path of service.
The 15-year-old Paul Kane student comes from a family of six — he's right in the middle. He's big on sports, especially basketball, and kept decent grades in all of his Grade 10 Advanced Placement classes.
But doing well on tests and making some righteous three-pointers aren't necessarily the full measure of a man. Sometimes, you have to know how to pivot back from your own point of view to get a look at others far away. One of his first charity experiences was as a volunteer at the Mustard Seed Church to help prepare and serve food to people experiencing homelessness in downtown Edmonton.
A few years ago, the Wanglers got involved with the Edmonton chapter of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, moving donated furniture to people who could use a hand up.
The group is part of an international Catholic charitable organization with a mission to help those in need. It provides groceries, furniture, and household items, clothes, bus tickets, and more. They refer people to existing community support programs for further assistance. They offer advocacy and guidance to help people become self-sufficient again.
Part of their efforts included the North of 60 project to help people in communities in Canada's far north, where the price of food and other household items can get extreme. Supporters of the project collect non-perishable food and other household supplies and equipment to pack into a sea can that is shipped off, arriving at several destinations in the Northwest Territories a few months later.
"Maybe two or three years ago, we started working for the St. Vincent de Paul moving furniture for people who are in need and can’t move on their own. Then St. Vincent de Paul set up this project for Ulukhaktok. My dad was a big guy in that group. He got us into that project," said Luke.
"Matthew Wangler has been terrific in involving his three sons — Sam, Luke, and Peter — in the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. They regularly help with delivering furniture and necessities to the inner-city residents in need," said North of 60 chairperson Linda Tutt.
Sea cans don't pack themselves, however. Imagine a six-metre box filled with an assortment of mattresses, medical supplies, games, sewing machines, furniture, and clothing items, not to mention food.
Part of Luke's recent volunteerism required him to lift some heavy, awkward objects.
"It was really tough to load up. I’m not going to lie. It wasn’t really heavy, but it was kinda hard to fit all the pieces together and structure it so that it would all fit in the sea can. There was a bunch of weirdly shaped boxes," he said.
"I sorta did it because I know that food and all that is really expensive up there. It’s just better to maybe help them get one or two extra meals a day for the people who live up there. It is honestly pretty fun to haul stuff into that box because it’s like a workout but you’re helping people."
His next endeavour — after he gets through final exams — is a project through the Holy Family Catholic Parish that his family belongs to. It's called Chalice, which he said is an effort to foster impoverished children.
Luke volunteers at school when and where he can. He said he always tries to help out when teachers need it.
Though his muscles may have been worked to soreness with packing up the sea can back in May, he still left with a smile on his face knowing he contributed to a job well done.
"It’s a good feeling," he said.
