In just a few days, residents up and down the Coast have rallied together to organize a number of fundraising events in aid of those affected by the recent typhoon in the Philippines.
Coast residents Zoe Barbaro, Amanda Stewart, Mercy Campbell, Karl Zapanta, Pam Westen-Duffy and Shantaya Purjue, along with many other volunteers, have organized care packages to be shipped directly to the Philippines through LBC Mundial Cargo in Richmond and in association with the Canadian Red Cross.
Donations of emergency survival supplies including tents, towels, clothes, blankets, medical supplies and personal hygiene can be dropped off until 6 p.m. this Friday (Nov. 22) at Dance Works Academy in Gibsons, and at 1567 Larchberry Way in Gibsons.
This Saturday, Nov. 23, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., there will be a bottle drive and bake sale at the Dance Works Academy.
From Nov. 25 to Dec. 1 there will be a Myoga Fundraiser at the Myoga Yoga & Fitness Studio at No. 4 - 747 North Road in Gibsons, There will be a special drop-in rate of $15 to any class at the studio, and Myoga will donate $10 from every drop-in to the relief effort.
Barbaro said all funds will be divided between two Canadian registered charities that are now at ground zero in the Philippines and can best allocate the funds to their maximum use.
Up the Coast at Madeira Park Elementary School and Pender Harbour Secondary School, a major fundraising event will be held this Sunday, Nov. 24, from 1 to 4 p.m.
All proceeds will go through the Canadian Red Cross and be matched dollar for dollar by the federal government.
There will be entertainment, kids' performances, crafts, food and a donation table. Cheques can be made payable to Canadian Red Cross.
"The idea is for our kids to feel a sense of global citizenry and do what we can to support the disaster in the Philippines," said principal Barry Krangle, who is spearheading the event with Carole Rubin. "Madeira kids are baking, entertaining, running booths and digging up their silver collections to support the cause. We have been studying the Philippines and learning everything from the difference between typhoons, hurricanes and cyclones to the impact such a disaster has on the Filipino infrastructure. Many kids from Pender Harbour Secondary School will be joining local musicians and artists to perform throughout the day."
And students at Madeira are not the only ones giving back.
At Roberts Creek Elementary School students have generated several ideas for fundraising. They have planned a pizza lunch and created posters to advertise and donation bins for each classroom. Students are planning to have a used T-shirt and book sale as well.
At Halfmoon Bay Elem-entary School, Sylvia Bisbee's class is collecting money for Philippine relief.
There will be a series of fundraising events at Elphinstone Secondary School, including a ping pong tourney, to build up to a "duct tape teachers to the gym wall" event on Wednesday, Nov. 27.
At Gibsons Elementary School, Colleen Hourigan's Grade 4/5 class had a bake sale last Friday at lunch. Susan Servos Sept's Grade 3 class is having a mini garage sale on the two early dismissal days in the gym, on the stage. It started as just used books, but now it includes stuffies and more.
School District staff are also donating money to the Philippine relief effort as their Christmas charity this year.
