Earlier in the school year, the Holy Redeemer March 4A Cure team made a goal of raising $5000. Now the event has finished, they are proud to say they have raised over a record-breaking $27,000!
“This year was one of our most successful years ever,” says March 4A Cure Organizer Mike Bachinsky. “We had a number of younger students step forward this year to take over the reins of the program and it went exceptionally well.”
Each year the March 4A Cure campaign raises money for the Alberta Cancer Foundation. Including this year’s funds, the twelve year total has amassed over $140,000!
Throughout the month of March and into early April, the students on the March 4A Cure team organized a number of different events and activities in order to raise money. Some of the activities included a basketball free-throw competition, bake sale, locker wars (bidding on lockers stuffed with all sorts of goodies), and even chicken bingo.
“One of our students brought a chicken to school and people bought different squares on a giant sheet of paper,” says Bachinsky. “Then the chicken was sent out onto the paper and it chose its favourite square.” There is no need to ask how the chicken chose its favourite square, as one only has to guess how it did that.
In late March, the campaign held its annual online auction courtesy of Patterson’s Parts. Once again, tons of money was raised and it was all thanks to the many local businesses that donated some extremely amazing items.
During the final week of the campaign, two grade 8 girls, Maya Dalueg and Malaynie Steffler, did something incredibly bold: they cut their hair and donated it to Locks of Love. Then Dalueg took it one step further and shaved her entire head. Both girls raised an incredible amount of money for this amazing cause.
When asked why she shaved her head, Dalueg said, “I’m doing it to support a dear friend who is currently battling cancer. And I think everyone is affected by cancer in one way or another.”
“I was really nervous to do it as I’m so used to having my hair long,” says Steffler. “But it was all for a great cause and I’m really happy I did it. The whole school came out to support us too, which was pretty awesome.”
Special thanks to ladies at Tangled Hair Salon for coming to the school to cut and shave the girls’ hair.
Needless to say, this year’s March 4A Cure was extremely successful. And even though they just wrapped up this year’s event, the team is slowly putting plans together for next year’s campaign to be even better.