10-year-old donates $225 to local non-profit
It’s not every day a local non-profit receives a donation from an elementary school student, but on June 5 the Ladies Auxiliary of the Huntingdon County Hospital were impressed by the generosity of 10-year-old Grady MacFarlane when he proudly handed over a cheque for $225 to the organisation.
A student at Franklin Elementary School, Grady had been inspired by a class trip last November with the grade five and six students from both Franklin and Hemmingford Elementary Schools to the National We Day in Ottawa. The New Frontiers School Board has a partnership with the Free the Children and Me to We organisations, which promote youth leadership, involvement and a global perspective by encouraging schools to become involved in international and local initiatives.
It was on the bus ride home that Grady began raising questions about fundraising with his teacher, Amanda Raithby. After the Christmas break, he returned to school with a plan. He approached Ms. Raithby (who was also his gym teacher) about starting an after school cosum hockey (floor hockey) activity for students by donation. She agreed to supervise and interested students from grades three through six met once a week for a month. "He was a great leader and showed a lot of initiative," says Raithby, noting how he really worked hard to rally the students in the school to participate. "He knew what he wanted and he did everything. It was really great."
The after school hockey program eventually raised a total of $225. Grady decided to donate the funds he had worked so hard to raise to the Ladies Auxiliary of the Huntingdon County Hospital as his grandmother, Mrs. Marion Morgan, is a resident at the Huntingdon County Hospital.
His donation was gratefully accepted by Mrs. Elsie Todd, the President of the Ladies Auxiliary, and will be used to enhance the well-being of the residents. The Ladies Auxiliary works to provide residents with birthday gifts, Christmas presents, music therapy, zootherapy and many other services.