by Sylene Argent
The students at Colchester North Public School proved they understand just how important it is to give back to the community through its most recent collection drive.
Before the Christmas Break let out, grade seven leadership students Alexa Soucie and Keaton Seal organized an item drive to support the Hospice of Windsor and Essex County, and encouraged their peers and staff members of the local elementary school to support the important initiative.
Soucie said through the donation drive, the students collected items the Hospice needed, such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, juice, Jell-O, pudding, wipes, floss, non-slip socks, and meal replacements.
Thanks to the school-wide dedication to the campaign, Colchester North was able to donate nearly 1500 items, which surpassed the fundraising goal of 1000 items set at the beginning of the project, Soucie and Seal said.
Last Friday morning, despite the blistering cold, the two leadership students and the grade six class at the school dressed in their warmest winter gear to proudly load-up the many boxes of donated items for delivery.
“We didn’t know a lot bout Hospice before [the donation drive],” Soucie said, noting she and fellow students conducted some research to find out about this important service and what it needed to provide comfort to the individuals, and their families, being served. “I feel it is more special if you know about the organization you are holding the fundraiser for.”
Soucie and Seal attended the GECDSB Leadership Camp in the fall, which spear-headed the momentum behind this collection for Hospice.
Principal Yvonne Petta said the community is always very supportive of the students’ fundraisers, which is greatly appreciated.
In addition to the students learning how to host a fundraiser, through creating posters and encouraging fellow peers to get involved, the leadership students were able to hone in on their leadership skills. They were also able to use the fundraiser as a way to improve their math skills by counting the donated items and creating graphs to highlight what was given, Petta said.
What was extra special about this campaign is that in many fundraising efforts, the students collect money. Collecting and sorting through items created more work for the students, but, judging by the outcome of the project, the added effort paid off.