Holy Cross Collegiate (HCC) has raised $4346.96 for charity after the school undertook three charity campaigns.   

The first two campaigns were during Lent which happens from Ash Wednesday to Holy Thursday. Loonies for Lent and the 25-hour famine.  

Loonies for Lent involved daily coin, cash or debit collection of donations from students who freely choose to give. 

A teacher at HCC Tomas Rochford explained that the school was able to get some really good donations for the last 14 years. 

“For a few years we put all the money towards building a school project in Kenya, we ended up raising $15,000 over three years, so we were able to build a school. Different projects have come up and really, it's just the generosity of our students.” 

The goal isn't to make families and students donate more than they can, Rochford expressed “In the Christan tradition is that during Lent it is a time of penance you give to the poor, give to the needy. And this is an opportunity for them to participate in that.”  

HCC

The next campaign was the 25-hour famine which is an overnight activity at the school that involves students fasting from all food, except water and juice for 25 hours and then they fill their time with prayer, dance, sports, board, and video games along with other activities.

Rochford explained that another tradition of Lent is to fast and especially abstain from meat, fasting in Lent means a person is permitted to eat one full meal or two smaller meals may also be taken, but they are not to equal that of a full meal.

“We thought, well, you know what? There's a great way to raise some money is to have students sign up and they come voluntarily and they fast from all food for 25 hours then the money that they would have put towards the food they give to charity.” 

Beginning at 9:00 in the morning on the Friday before Palm Sunday students would stop eating all food except for water and juice and then they go through the normal school day then afterward, they stay at the school and then they would do all sorts of activities.  

“The morning when they're dead tired and not so full of energy as they were the previous night. They clean up the school, which is lots of groans and at the same time parents and teachers are preparing a big feast after the fast.” 

25 HOUR

The last charity that contributed to the full amount of money raised was Pi Day on March 14. “I think it's a dollar per piece of pie and all that money also goes towards the charity collection.”  

As for why they chose the charities they did Rochford said that they had always wanted to make sure that they always took care of some local charities. “So, with the food bank obviously there's a great need right now for food banks all over Alberta and Canada and when the overnight shelter opened, we've been trying to help them.” 

This week the students are collecting items for the Wheatland Crisis Society that they have asked for, "We thought why not send over a small donation as well.” 

Chalice is a Canadian Catholic charity that HCC has built a relationship with for the last 14 years. “They're always very highly ranked and making sure that money is not just going to administration, but going to actual people who need it and we do have a lot of trust in them.” 

With the funds that were generously donated by students and families at HCC, there were able to donate to the following charities:  

  • $750.00 to the Wheatland Crisis Society 

  • $1000.00 to the Overnight Shelter 

  • $1000.00 to the Wheatland Food Bank 

  • $1596.96 to Chalice Canada’s Ukraine Relief Fund 

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