Last Updated: Friday - 09/24/2010
Week of May 12, 2008
Hinton students raise money for Nigerian nursery school
Special to the WCR
Hinton
Hinton schoolchildren's generosity and social action means that more than 100 Nigerian youngsters will go to nursery school.
On April 7 the students of Gerard Redmond Community Catholic School, in Hinton presented Father Daniel Abba (assistant pastor of St. Thomas More) with a cheque for $17,500, to go towards project HOPE.
"Project HOPE (Helping Others Prepare for Education), started with a dream and a desire - a dream of a better world and a desire to help those who could not help themselves," said Nadiya Iwanciwski, spokesperson for the Gerard Redmond leadership class.
"When I first heard of Father Daniel's dream of a nursery school for his village in Nigeria, I thought it was a perfect fit with the desire of Mr. Sawchuk's leadership class to find a project that we could help with."
Iwanciwski then talked to her teacher Thom Sawchuk and school principal Tim Faford.
The idea was enthusiastically accepted and it became not only a leadership project, but also an entire school project.
Through a Nigerian supper and silent auction and a wake-athon, the students managed to raise the money needed.
They exceeded their original goal of $15,000.
"We as a school should be very proud of our accomplishment," said Iwanciwski.
"The difference we will make in the world is beyond anything we can imagine.
"We have given others real hope and a chance at an education and better life."
The construction of the nursery school in Alagia, Nigeria, will begin in late June.
After construction is completed, an in-country volunteer, sponsored by Volunteer International Christian Service, will run the school.
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