Spirit of Christmas starts young
Evelyn Seppala and Savannah Salter put their seven-year-old heads together a few weeks back, thinking of a way to help the less fortunate in Pelham at Christmas time.
The Grade 2 students at A. K. Wigg Public School are Beavers with the Third Fonthill Scouting Group, and as part of their North Star Award certification, they needed to perform a community-based project.
The girls decided to raise money for Christmas hampers, a Pelham Cares project, by preparing a “speech” to deliver at the front door of the homes in their neighbourhoods in Fonthill, as they asked for donations.
Evelyn’s mother, Julie, is a Beaver leader, and gave helpful hints to the girls as they prepared their door-to-door sales pitch.
Many people gave cash at the door, while others arranged an e-transfer. The final tally was a remarkable $510 for each girl, a total of $1,020.
The next step in the plan?
“We’re going grocery shopping,” said Evelyn. “We need to buy food and bring it to Pelham Cares.”
Evelyn’s mom has been told by the charity that “pickles, clementines, nuts, and chocolates” should definitely be on the list.
Fifty local families will receive Christmas hampers and benefit from the charitable labour of these youngsters.
So how does their fundraising success make them feel at Christmas time?
“Happy,” the girls responded, knowing that families with children their age will have food on the table and treats to eat at this festive time of year.
They love their school, A. K. Wigg.
“My favorite activity is crafting,” said Savannah.
“I like recess,” chimed in Evelyn, grudgingly acknowledging that the respite from the classroom did not qualify as an academic subject.
Savannah has been a Beaver for one year, while Evelyn has been involved for three. Meetings are normally held at Fonthill United Church, but with COVID-19 hanging about, meetings are via Zoom sessions.
The girls won’t be Beavers next year. In Grade 3, they advance to Cubs.