"We look like a Christmas tree," someone points out.

The holiday season usually awakens people's desire to give to others. But students at Clarington Central Secondary School (CCSS) spread their own kind of cheer all year round with the Lunch Buddy program.

Created by Bruce Rutherford, a teacher in the Learning and Life Skills (LLS) program at the school, the club has members spending their lunch hour with special needs students.

As they stand in rows to pose for a group picture huddled together laughing and chatting, it's hard to distinguish between the volunteers and the ones they are helping.

"This does my heart a lot of good to see this picture right here," said Mr. Rutherford, speaking to the students.

The club originated in 1998 at Courtice Secondary School with only two students involved, then eventually expanded to 500 students in 2005.

Now in its third year in its new location at CCSS, it is the largest student volunteer program at the school with more than 130 students from all grades. There are 48 challenged students with special needs that range from developmental disorders to physical disabilities.

"In a school of 1,300 students, one in 10 are involved in this program," said Mr. Rutherford. "It's had a fairly significant impact on our school as a whole."

In addition to the time spent with the challenged students during lunch, the volunteers also engage in various activities with them from bowling to the year-end barbecue.

Mr. Rutherford said the group is very tight-knit and volunteers often include the special needs students within their own circle of friends.

Grade 12 student Tyler Reeves, 17, has been involved in the program since it began at CCSS. He plays hockey with his Lunch Buddy, Travis, who has Down Syndrome.

"It's fun, you get to make new friends with different social standards and just do something new," he said. "I have my own Lunch Buddy but I know all the others by name."

Fifteen-year-old Cassandra Miller, said the program enhances one's understanding of others' differences.

"It's a great opportunity to be able to accept these kinds of people for who they are and it makes you feel really good to be involved."

Although students can put the time they spend working in the Lunch Buddies program towards their 40 hours of community involvement required to graduate, Mr. Rutherford said it's clear it's about far more than that.

"Over the nine years we've been doing this, the students have done over 25,000 community service hours but only 10 per cent of that has gone towards the amount they need to do."

The operating cost of the program is about $3,000 a year, which comes from donations and Mr. Rutherford's own money. He said he looks forward to further development of the program with the help of dedicated sponsors, such as Michael Baird and Dianna Mandzuk from RE/MAX Spirit Inc.

Jacquie Hand, educational assistant with the LLS classes, said the program participants appreciate any community support.

"It's a wonderful program that benefits those with special needs as well as other students at the school," she said.

Lunch Buddy volunteers are also eligible for scholarships and throughout the past three years, $4,000 has been awarded.

According to Mr. Rutherford, many of the past students involved in Lunch Buddies have gone on to pursue careers in the service of helping others.

Outside the school's common room, a Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board poster reads, "Character makes a difference" above a list of qualities that students should strive to acquire in themselves, such as respect, empathy and responsibility.

Mr. Rutherford said the students in the Lunch Buddy program exemplify every trait on that list and even after 17 years as a teacher, he continues to be inspired by them.

"To have friends, be accepted and appreciated is what this program is all about," he said. "For students to do this completely selfless thing -- it validates why I got into teaching and it revitalizes me every year."

For information or to make a donation to the Lunch Buddy Program, call the school at 905-697-9857 or send an e-mail to bruce_rutherford@kprdsb.ca