HMK spring fling celebrates playground fundraiser going 'over the top'
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- Published on Tuesday, May 16, 2017
Miranda Leybourne
The Neepawa Press
The Yellowhead Centre was the place to be on Friday, May 12 for Hazel M. Kellington (HMK)’s staff, students and families. The annual family dance was extra festive this year thanks to two generous donations that have helped the school surpass its fundraising goal for its new playground, to be built this summer.
The dance floor was packed, the music was flowing and spirits were high during the entire event, with everyone moving and grooving to the chicken dance, forming conga lines and in general, having a wonderful time.
About halfway through the evening, HMK principal Allen Hanke took to the stage to announce some big news. First, he drew attention to the pictures that were posted around the hall that portrayed what the new playground would look like.
“Our community has been fantastic!” he declared as the party-goers erupted into cheers.
Hanke then called Stafford Greer, pastor of the Prairie Alliance Church (PAC) up to the stage, where Greer handed him a cheque for $5,000 from his church.
“PAC is excited to be able to give towards the HMK playground fund. The schools and families in our community are the backbone of a strong and healthy town and we believe that investing into families in this way not only provides children [with] a fun and exciting place to play and learn, but it also helps make our town a better place to live,” Greer later told the Neepawa Press. “Jesus commands us to love our neighbour as ourselves, and we feel that donating to this fund was one way to show that love for our neighbours.”
Hanke then called up two representatives from the Beautiful Plains Community Foundation (BPCF) -- Jane Goudie, president of the foundation, and board member Ginny Collins, who presented him with another cheque, which was for $7,500.
“One year ago today, we had what we called a ‘Walk for Twonies’. And in that Walk for Twonies, you raised just over $20,000. And the BPCF matched $15,000 more,” Hanke told the students and their families. “And now they’ve applied for another grant through the Community Foundations of Canada, and we’ve got another $7,500, which is what’s put us over the top!”
Goudie says the BPCF was very impressed with how motivated the students at HMK were with the Walk for Twonies.
“We never realized that these little kids...would drag in over $20,000! We were rolling coins in the office for a while,” she joked.
After the BPCF had contributed their promised donation of $15,000, Goudie and the board members discovered that more funds were available to the school.
“This other foundation grant, because it’s Canada 150 this year, was available, and so we made it known to the school. So they got another $7,500, and their spring fling is sort of like their party to celebrate going over the top [of their fundraising] for their playground structure. They’ve raised lots of money in all different kinds of ways,” she enthused.
Goudie and Collins encourage any organizations or groups in the community who could use fundraising support to get in touch with the BPCF to see how they can help. The total cost of the project has been projected at $100,000.
