Bob-Mart helping students at Montague school

Bob Campbell has plenty of happy customers at his little shop inside Montague Consolidated School that the kids affectionately call Bob-Mart.Bob-Mart is the nickname students at Montague Consolidated School have given the room at the school that holds everything from clothing to school supplies, personal grooming products to food.Campbell is not a shopkeeper by trade, he's the youth worker at the school. He has spent the last 14 years helping kids struggling with behavioural issues, social problems or troubled families.A decade ago he decided meeting some of the more basic needs would help."I try to cover anything that I would want for my own child if I was in the school."The need was something Bob watched grow over his first four years at the school. Serving a rural population in eastern P.E.I., Campbell saw the support systems many Islanders rely on being stretched further, benefits were not keeping up with the cost of living, and it showed in the students he sees in the school halls. "There doesn't seem to be as much money in the home, and that makes it hard because schools are needing to pick up a lot of area where they never used to have to pick up. Like the clothing and stuff like that."Bob-Mart takes donations from people in the school community. Campbell also includes students in the stocking of shelves and organizing. He says on a wet day he can go through 20 to 30 pairs of socks. As winter gets closer, more jackets are picked up, and hats and mittens are very popular.Principal Norbert Carpenter says Bob Campbell is the reason Bob-Mart is so popular. "Kids from all walks of life stop in maybe for a quick chat, a game of chess, just checking in with him everyday, making them feel comfortable and just meeting their basic needs, clothes and things like that."There are no restrictions on who can use Bob-Mart, kids in the older grades can shop by themselves, the younger students are escorted by a staff member."I think it is good and nice that you can come and get clothes when you need them and jackets if it is cold outside," said Grade 6 student Denver. "I got muddy one day and I ripped my pants one day and I came in here and got a pair of pants and it made me feel really good. And I came here to get a pair of shoes before.""He's always willing to help with the child's best interest and welfare is always paramount to him," says Carpenter. "So he's a key piece of the puzzle and we're very fortunate to have him." Denver uses fewer words when describing what Bob Campbell and Bob-Mart brings to Montague Consolidated, summing it up for all the kids."Happiness, yeah, happiness." Bob Campbell has plenty of happy customers at his little shop inside Montague Consolidated School that the kids affectionately call Bob-Mart. Bob-Mart is the nickname students at Montague Consolidated School have given the room at the school that holds everything from clothing to school supplies, personal grooming products to food. Campbell is not a shopkeeper by trade, he's the youth worker at the school. He has spent the last 14 years helping kids struggling with behavioural issues, social problems or troubled families. A decade ago he decided meeting some of the more basic needs would help. "I try to cover anything that I would want for my own child if I was in the school." The need was something Bob watched grow over his first four years at the school. Serving a rural population in eastern P.E.I., Campbell saw the support systems many Islanders rely on being stretched further, benefits were not keeping up with the cost of living, and it showed in the students he sees in the school halls. "There doesn't seem to be as much money in the home, and that makes it hard because schools are needing to pick up a lot of area where they never used to have to pick up. Like the clothing and stuff like that." Bob-Mart takes donations from people in the school community. Campbell also includes students in the stocking of shelves and organizing. He says on a wet day he can go through 20 to 30 pairs of socks. As winter gets closer, more jackets are picked up, and hats and mittens are very popular. Principal Norbert Carpenter says Bob Campbell is the reason Bob-Mart is so popular. "Kids from all walks of life stop in maybe for a quick chat, a game of chess, just checking in with him everyday, making them feel comfortable and just meeting their basic needs, clothes and things like that." There are no restrictions on who can use Bob-Mart, kids in the older grades can shop by themselves, the younger students are escorted by a staff member. "I think it is good and nice that you can come and get clothes when you need them and jackets if it is cold outside," said Grade 6 student Denver. "I got muddy one day and I ripped my pants one day and I came in here and got a pair of pants and it made me feel really good. And I came here to get a pair of shoes before." "He's always willing to help with the child's best interest and welfare is always paramount to him," says Carpenter. "So he's a key piece of the puzzle and we're very fortunate to have him." Denver uses fewer words when describing what Bob Campbell and Bob-Mart brings to Montague Consolidated, summing it up for all the kids."Happiness, yeah, happiness."