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G.R. Davis school
students reached out to a country devastated by an earthquake.
A fund-raiser executed by the students raised more than $5,000 for
the Red Cross, which is part of relief efforts in Haiti.
“I liked the idea of it,” Grade 6 student Dakota Goulet said of the
“Fort Macleod for Haiti” fund-raiser. “I felt really happy
because we were doing stuff for other people who didn’t have
anything.”
Every student in the school coloured “Fort Macleod for Haiti”
posters that the Grade 6 students then sold the around town.
The overwhelming response from Fort Macleod residents was rewarding
for the G.R. Davis school students.
“I’m pretty excited that us being more fortunate, we could give
that much to the Red Cross,” Grade 6 student Tate Matson said.
The money the students collected their “Fort Macleod for Haiti”
flags, along with some unexpected donations from people who
dropped into the school, totalled about $1,300.
The students themselves brought another $1,200 to the fund-raising
effort. The money was turned in to the Red Cross by the
deadline, and will be matched by the Canadian government,
bringing the total to more than $5,000.
“We were absolutely stunned,” G.R. Davis school Grade 6 teacher
Kate Cope said, noting the initial goal was just $1,000. “For a
little school in a little community, that is phenomenal. We knew
that people would be generous but we were absolutely blown
away.”
Haiti was rocked Jan. 12 by an earthquake that reached 7.3 on the
Richter scale, leaving a million people homeless and 230,000
dead. The earthquake coincided with a Grade 6 Social Studies
lesson.
“We were taking about how individual children can make a difference
in their community,” Cope said. “It was just at the height when
all the images were coming out of Haiti.”
The students made the connection and asked staff if they could
undertake a fund-raiser to support relief efforts in Haiti.
Every student in the school coloured the “Fort Macleod for Haiti”
posters. The Grade 6 students prepared a presentation and
practiced it for hours before venturing out to Fort Macleod
businesses. “They were so cute and so earnest that no one could
refuse them,” Cope said. Dakota and Tate agreed.
“I think the really liked the idea,” Dakota said. Added Tate:
“Right away they said they would sponsor one.”
Raising money for worthy causes closer to home is nothing new for
G.R. Davis school students. They held a fund-raiser for a family
who lost their home to fire, for example, and they raise money
each year for the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
“We’ve done a lot of community stuff,” Cope said. “We’ve always
encouraged the kids to be involved in the community.”
The “Fort Macleod for Haiti” project allowed the students to
consider their role as citizens of the world.
“The feedback the kids received as really generous,” Cope said.
“They felt so rewarded.” |
