A Heifer International fund raising update:
My daughter’s Montessori class ( 1st-3rd grade) of 20 children raised a total of $1,067 to donate to Heifer International! Each child raised money their own way.
Last semester the class studied basic human needs, and this semester they are studying the continent of Africa. This fund raising project ties in with both those themes.
My daughter (and 5 year-old son) made and sold Christmas ornaments by the side of the road and contributed candy and junky “toys” to their Candy Bank to earn money for the project. In addition to each child’s individual earnings, the class also held a bake sale in the school parking lot (on a very snowy day!!).
I just wanted to post an update about this project since someone out there who knew my address, was so kind as to spread the word and organize contributions from all over the country. Truly amazing! Thank you again whoever you are!
The class earned nearly double their original goal and instead of buying an animal or two for one family, they are able to fund a project that will help an entire African village.
Your generosity, and that of our local community, makes a HUGE difference. Not only to a village in Africa, but to my daughter and her classmates who now know how good it feels to give and to help others. Thank you!
Photo (Zambia) courtesy of Heifer International.
Several weeks ago for an Unplugged Project, we made Christmas ornaments that my 7 year-old daughter intended to sell as part of a class project to raise money for Heifer International. Her plan was to set up an “Ornament Stand” by the side of the road (instead of the classic lemonade stand) and sell her ornaments to make money to contribute to the class Heifer fund.
Well…I give her an A++ for vision and determination because she (and 5 year-old little brother) did it! It was very cold that day, but they sat out there after school for about two and a half hours. I did not interfere, but did hang around outside pretending to garden (in December???) and FROZE TO DEATH while protecting from kidnapping perverts and making sure the baby didn’t run into the road.
They set up two kid tables from the playroom and hung some self-made signs on them. They arranged all the ornaments on trays and even brought out a Heifer catalog that had come in the mail (in case people had questions). Honestly, it was cute beyond words!
We live on a quiet street, especially in the winter since this is mainly a summer community, so only two cars went by in all that time (and tragically didn’t stop). But the neighbor came over, the contractor working on the house next door stopped by, and many of my friends (in fact pretty much ALL my friends, as well as my sister) “just happened” to drive by and stop!
The plan was to try again on a weekend morning since we would probably get a bit more drive-by traffic (and it might be warmer?), but so far the weekends have been snowy and ill-suited to Ornament Stands.
But my daughter is thrilled, because so far she has made $56 all by herself. Today in the car on the way home from school she told me that she wants to “devote her life to helping the poor.” I am NOT making this up!
For the first time ever, I am wildly hoping that this is not “just a phase!” As you moms know, most “phases” are pretty dreadful.
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