MBCI community shows support for Ukraine

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This article was published 22/04/2022 (1291 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ELMWOOD

Troubled times can bring out the best in people.

For the Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute community, giving back and helping others are core principles.

“It’s not unusual for us as a school to think beyond ourselves and about our community,” Sherry Sukkau, director of advancement and admissions at MBCI, said. “That’s something that’s part of our faith and values, so it’s something ingrained. Our community really rallies behind us and our students when there’s an opportunity to give.”

When Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, teachers and students at MBCI began having conversations about the conflict, and what they could do to help those caught in the middle.

“They brainstormed a bit and one idea was to do a school-wide donation drive,” Sukkau said. “The thing that came to mind was that spring was hopefully around the corner.”

Sukkau reached out to an MBCI alumnus at LaCoste Garden Centre, who suggested that, sunflowers being the national flower of Ukraine, a potted sunflower sale might be appropriate.

“He was prepared to sell them at cost, which meant we could profit $8 per pot,” Sukkau said. “We reached out to the Mennonite Central Committee, they’re doing a lot of work to provide disaster relief to Ukraine. Any funds we raise will be directed their way.”

On Easter Monday, MBCI reached its goal of selling 500 sunflower pots, raising a total of $4,250 for MCC’s efforts in Ukraine.

Still, the students at the school wanted to do more. Under the direction of one of MBCI’s art teachers, 120 students each painted a heart for Ukraine, which have been collected together and installed in the halls of the school.

“They’re fairly large installations, ginormous,” Sukkau said. “We have what we call Student Life Groups, each student belongs to one of these groups, so each of those groups were challenged to raise $120, so essentially a buck for each heart painted.”

For students to be actively engaged in efforts such as these pays off in many ways, Sukkau added.

“The benefits to students are huge,” she said. “It’s about teaching them to be good citizens. We’re privileged. We have a responsibility to give back. It’s a tremendous learning opportunity for our students. We try to make it as real life as possible, so they can relate to it. It’s much bigger than just giving back.”