A Christmas fundraising initiative has since turned into community goodwill.
A group of students from Unity Christian secondary school spent five days bagging groceries at Superstore, a Chilliwack grocery store that does not bag groceries for its customers. In turn, the students requested a donation for their Belize Service Training Trip happening this spring.
They raised $5,700.
"Each child raised on average $125 per day, all from donations," said Mike Campbell, vice principal at Unity Christian. "It is all very awesome."
The fundraiser was organized to help students pay for a week-long trip to Belize in Central America this March. The trip is a service learning trip where 30 students and eight teachers and chaperones will be spending time in an orphanage, helping to build a house, and spending two days at Cayo Christian Academy, a school where Unity Christian hopes to build a partnership with for teacher and student exchanges, pen pals, resource sharing and prayer.
The trip is estimated to cost between $50,000 and $60,000, to which the school has already raised approximately $15,000.
"I believe our success can be attributed to the community feel of our school and the community feel of Chilliwack," said Campbell.
But the fundraiser was about more than just raising money, it was an opportunity for students to give back.
"Our students met a wide range of people, including single mothers and grandparents and were able to be a blessing," said Campbell. "Families were so appreciative of having their groceries bagged, especially those by themselves doing their big Christmas shop."
The school hopes to continue the efforts.
"We would like to continue this service, possibly once a week," said Campbell. "The difference this time around is that we would not ask for donations, but just do it to help others and continue to build relationships with our greater community."