First-year Algonquin child and youth care students put together a carnival to raise money for the Bethany Hope Centre on Woodroffe Avenue on March 8.
The goal was to raise $2,000 to help buy a garden tower. The tower will help them to grow more food for their community with less space used.
“We didn’t get to choose our organization but after touring the centre we noticed that they needed a new garden tower to help feed the community,” said Kerri Lynn, one of the students who helped organize the event.
The total made at the carnival was $688. The students also held a bake sale, which made $315 making the overall total raised $1,003.
The centre helps its community by offering many things like young parent programs and the community garden called the nourish garden. It allows the families of Bethany Hope and the surrounding community to grow their own food.
Children help to plant, water and harvest crops. Families can harvest as they need it, and items are added to their meal programs, food share and new cooking opportunities like canning arise.
Fifteen students started putting together the carnival event four months ago in November with the help of professors. About 25 people showed up at the carnival to help support it.
The carnival held a silent auction with baskets made from donated items. The baskets were filled with things like baby items to Farm Boy products. Everything that the students sold were either made by the students or donated from other larger companies like Pizza Pizza to smaller companies like Ottawa’s Sugar Baby Cupcakes.
Some of the events they held included a ring toss, arts and crafts activities, bingo games and hot potato. The winners received prizes which were all donated to the cause.
“I had a really good time, I feel really good helping out this cause,” said Katlyn Bonner, a student at Algonquin. “That’s all that matters in the end.”
Students are also raising money for the St.John Bosco Achievement Centre Youturn which is an voluntary educational program for youth who have/are been involved in the criminal justice system and who are working towards high school credits and/or employment skills.
Students are also raising money for SchoolBOX were their goal is to make education possible in Central America.
Every three years the organization changes to be able to raise more money for the community.