HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2005-12-14, Page 11News
CHSS surpasses $6,300 goal
to send Zambian orphans to school
Sometimes
saying thank
you is just not
enough. For
Jessica Bokhout
this is one of
those times.
In just a few
short weeks the
Central Huron
secondary school
community and
area residents
have surpassed
the $6,300
fundraising goal
to send 90
Zambian chil-
dren orphaned
by AIDS to
school in
January.
"With the
money you have
raised, children
will go to school
in January
wearing a new
uniform and car-
rying a new
school bag. With
the money you
have raised,
more little chil-
dren will be able
to come to the
Kondwa Centre
in January, and
be fed breakfast
and Lunch and
more children
will sing songs
and read stories
and play games
each week,"
Bokhout said' in
a recent letter
posted on the
CHSS website.
"Because of
your help, many
smiling beauti-
ful wiggly bodies
will have the
chance for a
brighter future."
And with the
postponed
spaghetti dinner
and auction
fundraiser tak-
ing place tonight
(Dec. 14), the
potential to send
even more chil-
dren to school is
great, explained
Bokhout's moth-
er Helena
McShane.
"We haven't
received all of
the money yet,
but with all of
the pledges it
looks like at
least 90 children
will be able to
attend school,"
she said.
"But these
kids have broth-
ers and sisters
who can't afford
to go to school
either. If Jessica
gets more
money, more
children will be
able to go to
school."
Tonight's
spaghetti dinner
will begin at
5:30 p.m. in the
CHSS cafeteria,
with an auction
at 7:30 p.m.
A CHSS grad-
uate, Bokhout is
currently work-
ing with CARE
Zambia as part
of her fourth-
year University
of Toronto co-op
placement in the
International
Development
Studies pro-
gram.
Earlier this
fall she sent
DVDs to friends
in the Clinton
area asking for
help in raising
$6,300 to send
90 orphans from
the Kondwa Day
Centre in
Lusaka to Grade
1.
"You have
made this hap-
pen. You have
made a differ-
ence. And you
have ensured
that the work
the Kondwa
staff do for
orphaned chil-
dren in Ngombe
compound in
Lusaka will con-
tinue," Bokhout
commented.
According to
Bokhout's letter,
donors from
across the coun-
try — and even
Australia and
Ireland — have
dug into their
holiday savings
to support the
project.
More than
$4,300 has been
donated through
the school's web-
site at
http://www.oliv-
er.typepad.com/c
hss/.
Local elemen-
tary schools and
churches are
also joining the
cause.
Sisters Elle
and Maya
Doherty, ages 8
and 4, have been
hard at work
making and sell-
ing lavender eye
warming bags
with their mom
Margery
Holmes, who is a
teacher at
CHSS.
"We originally
decided to make
them as
Christmas gifts,
but when Jess
sent us her
request, we
ended up mak-
ing them to sell
as a fundraiser,"
Holmes said.
"Jess used to
babysit the girls
and for my 8 -
year -old to con-
nect with her
through this
project was
amazing. We do
a lot of work
with World
Vision, but it's
not as real to
her as this is."
Elle and Maya
have raised
nearly $150
through their
project. The
bags, which are
very popular in
the yoga commu-
nity,, will also be
available at
tonight's auc-
tion.
"Sometimes at
this time of year
people get so
caught up with
the material
aspects of
Christmas, but
to me this is
what Christmas
is all about,"
Holmes added.
Recalling a
recent meeting
with Kondwa
Centre founder
Angela Malik,
Bokhout said
Malik was left
speechless by
the overwhelm-
ing generosity of
Canadians.
Malik and her
staff will be
overseeing the
administration
details of getting
the children to
school including
registration,
uniforms and
supplies.
"I have been
feeling especial-
ly sorry for
myself the last
few weeks —
sorry to be away
from home over
Christmas.
Sorry that I am
missing the
snow, the 24-
hour Christmas
music on the
radio, the mugs
of cider and hot
chocolate and all
the Christmas
goodies , "
Bokhout said.
"But today
sharing your
news with
Angela and
watching her
happiness fill
the room was
one of the best
moments of my
life. You made
this happen."
For McShane
and the rest of
Jessica's family,
reaching the ini-
tial $6,300 goal
is just the first
step.
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They are look-
ing forward to
working with
the Kondwa
Centre in the
future to "ensure
the children
going to Grade 1
will be able to go
to Grade 2 and
beyond , "
McShane said.
"Kondwa can
only accommo-
date 90 kids, but
many, many
more need help
to go to school.
There will never
be too much
money. That is
the sad reality."
The CHSS-led
campaign will be
wrapping up
Dec. 16, but
Bokhout's family
will continue to
collect dona-
tions. Anyone
interested in
making a contri-
bution can con-
tact McShane at
523-9734.
By Jennifer
Hubbard
The Huron Expositor • December 14, 2005 Page 11
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