The halls at Algonquin were left abandoned during the 2017 work stoppage and what was a sorrowful memory for the college ended up bringing a new tradition to those same halls.
Darlene Tierney-Goebel, an academic support worker in the department of Media and Design thought that the Algonquin students, faculty and staff deserved a little treat after the 36-day strike.
She created the giving tree, a Christmas tree that she keeps filled with candy canes every day from Nov.12 through Dec. 21.
“I really missed the students and faculty. It just was not the same coming into work every day. I wanted to find a way to tell everyone how much I missed each of them,” Tierney-Goebel said in a written letter to the school.
The candy cane flavours vary day to day. the usual peppermint is a popular option but occasionally you’ll find the odd multi-coloured cherry-flavoured ones as well.
Tierney-Goebel received an email last year from a student explaining how much the giving tree made a difference in their day and how much it helped and brought them joy during a stressful time.
The tree is located right outside the Media and Design office (N216) and you can find Tierney-Goebel re-filling the tree during the day.