When it comes to charity, it all adds up

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/12/2011 (5243 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

I received a Season’s Greetings card last week from a woman who was basically apologizing for what she saw as a small amount on her cheque.

“Wish this cheque could be more, but as my mom always told us ‘when it comes to giving it’s the thought that counts!’ “

Funny how advice like this is timeless, whether it comes from your mom, your dad, your grandparents or someone else. Especially when it comes to a fundraiser for the Christmas Cheer Board and Winnipeg Harvest that bases itself on the smallest coin denomination we have, the penny.

It’s a fundraiser that sees everyone in the city — from the youngest child to the most elderly person — able to contribute, because you can contribute everything from a penny to a sizable cheque or folding money.

Funny, too, when the simple act of writing a cheque means you are going to donate more than a penny — so immediately our fundraiser grows larger faster. So there’s no way an apology is ever needed from anyone who contributes, no matter what the amount.

Another person wrote to say our current contest — which could see some lucky person win either an autographed guitar by this year’s Pennies ambassadors, the members of award-winning band Doc Walker, or a $500 amethyst and diamond ring courtesy of our friends at Ben Moss Jewellers next Friday — had sparked some memories.

The woman said looking at the photo of “the beautiful guitar” made her remember her husband and his playing guitar in a band until cancer took him.

She said she decided to pick up the guitar herself and in just six years she has gone from learning to playing at seniors residences.

It’s nice to see we sparked some memories out there. Who knows? If she’s lucky, maybe she’ll win some ‘sparkle’ too or a new guitar.

Meanwhile, the legion of students in the Louis Riel School Division are busy raising pennies for their own Pennies from LRSD campaign, which supports our fundraiser. In fact, it generally brings in about one-quarter of all our donations.

We’ll know more next week when all the schools in the division bring in their donations, but for now I’ll tell you a bit about the campaign at J.H. Bruns Collegiate.

Students there have been baking, parading around the community with Santa hats and singing for their neighbours and in two of our Pennies partner Walmart stores.

The grand total of all of their efforts stands at more than $5,400 — and that’s just one school.

But as Terry Borys, the division’s superintendent, says, it’s more than just a dollar tally.

“The students raised money, they raised spirits, but most of all they raised their sense of efficacy and discovered their ability to make a difference,” Borys said.

I couldn’t have said it better.

 

Today’s angels are:

East Elmwood Zingers

G. Curry

Seymour and Ruth Blackadar

Donald Brown

Gerald Dybish

Janet and Robert Kollesavich

Richard and Evelyn Howard

Blake Watson

Allan and Colette Aussant

Howard and Norma Bettess

Enid Durward

Ada Greeley

William and Marion Snell Foundation

Louise Stewart

Adele and Murray Wooden

Cecile Alarie-Skene

Nick Belinsky

In memory of Stefan O. Olafson

Elsie McCullough

In memory of Brian J. Hyslop

Jean and Janice Souque