Boyle School’s Grade 7 class is gathering used goods to fundraise for a trip to see dinosaurs.
The class is organizing the drive as part of its year-long campaign raising money for a three-day trip to Drumheller, according to Grade 7 teacher Stephanie Cumbleton. The class will pick up used household goods such as clothing, books, dishes and small tools throughout Boyle Jan. 28. The donations will then be transported to Value Village in St. Albert, with the class being paid by weight of the goods.
Cumbleton said this is the first time she has organized this type of fundraiser.
“It seems like there are far too many fundraisers where we are asking adults to purchase items,” Cumbleton said, adding that there are not many outlets for gently used goods in Boyle. “I thought this might be a way for us to fundraise while filling a need for members of the community, rather than asking them to purchase something.”
Students will travel door-to-door to pickup goods from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 28, Cumbleton said. They will also organize the goods at the old Boyle seniors drop-in centre, which the Village of Boyle provided for the class to use.
She added the fundraising itself provides a good learning opportunity for students.
“If you want to do things like go on trips or have things, you’re going to have to work for it. You’re going to have to put in your time,” Cumbleton said. “It’s their job, it’s their trip; they are the ones that are responsible.”
The three-day trip is scheduled for June 17-19, Cumbleton said. Students will spend time sightseeing and visiting locales such as the Atlas Coal Mine and the Royal Tyrell Museum, where students will learn about dinosaurs and Canadian settlers.
The trip has been run five or six years out of Boyle School, Cumbleton said, adding it gives students an opportunity to take an educational trip they might not be able to afford.
“This is a worthwhile thing for these kids because for some of them, it’s their first big trip ever,” Cumbleton said. “Some families just can’t afford to take their kids out sightseeing within the province. This is really giving them life experiences and opportunities that they wouldn’t otherwise have.”
The class fundraises throughout the year for the trip, Cumbleton said, usually reaching approximately $5,000. That covers the cost of the trip and allows it to run with no extra cost to parents, she added.
So far the class has nearly reached their fundraising halfway mark and they hope to raise another $1,500 with the Jan. 28 drive. The class will also hold another used good collection March 19.
Suzanne Berube has had three children attend the trip at Boyle School, with another one due to this year. She said it is a trip school children in Boyle really look forward to.
“There are so many educational things that go on just in the things they see,” Berube said. “Any kids coming up that know about it are excited going into Grade 7 to go on that trip. It’s the highlight of their year.”
For more information on the used good drive, you can contact Cumbleton at [email protected].
