SCAW at Palgrave School
As published in the Caledon Enterprise, Thursday January 27 2011
By Heather Abrey, Enterprise Staff
In
the photo: Sleeping Children Around the World Chair Dave Dryden, right,
and Palgrave Rotarian Wayne Cowell, left, talk to students at Palgrave
Public School on Jan. 25 about how their donations will help children in
developing countries. Heather Abrey photo
Dave Dryden, Chair of SCAW, visited the school to collect funds raised
by the children - enough to purchase 132 bed kits at a cost of $35 each.
The Palgrave Rotary once again matched the school's fundraising efforts
up to a total of $4,000. The students managed to surpass that goal.
In
total, the school and service club managed to purchase approximately
247 kits, which can consist of a mat or mattress, pillow, sheet,
blanket, clothing, towel, school supplies and mosquito net, depending on
local need.
Principal Laurie Johnson spoke to students, who all
wore their pajamas to school for the occasion, about being lucky enough
to have a favourite pair of pjs, or maybe a few different pairs, and a
warm, comfortable bed to sleep in at night.
"Sometimes we have different colours of sheets we get to put on our bed. Some people don't even have a bed," she pointed out.
Not
only did children and their families donate money to the cause, Ms
Hull's class also donated about $10 each in lieu of holding a 'Secret
Santa' at Christmas time, raising a total of $393.
"We lost count
of how many bed kits this school has raised, and the parents and the
Rotarians," said Dryden, estimating the total over the last 20 years
would be about 2,000 to 3,000 kits.
Wayne Cowell, a Rotary
member, was on hand to speak to the kids about the service club and
their ongoing partnership with both the school and SCAW.
"Do you
know what our favourite organization here in Palgrave Rotary is?" he
asked students. "That's right, Sleeping Children Around the World."
Over
the last 20 years Palgrave Public School has supported many charities,
but has always continued to put their efforts toward SCAW "because it's
kids helping kids," said Johnson. "And it helps them appreciate what
they have, and how they can help other people."
During the
Christmas season the students usually take on local causes, and this
year crammed several police cruisers full of food that was donated to
the Caledon Community Services' Santa Fund.
"We do look after people around here as well, but we also help people out in the world," explained Johnson.
SCAW
serves nine countries, and it's not known which one will benefit from
the money raised through this initiative just yet. Dryden explained that
the volunteer organization, which takes no money for overhead costs,
visits different countries at different times of year, depending on
which season is best. Currently SCAW is in India, but by March
volunteers are expected to be in Africa.
"Over the years I think
that they have donated at different times of year, so I think they have
probably hit all our different countries," he said of the generous
donations from the Rotary Club and Palgrave School.