Telemiracle
is a Saskatchewan institution and every year the province’s people show their
incredible generosity by supporting this telethon that raises money to assist
people with medical and health needs outside of what is covered by the
provincial health system. This year was no exception as 5.5 million dollars was
raised.
People all over the province support Telemiracle and Sun West schools, students and staff can feel good that they have made many valuable contributions to this cause. All Sun West schools were asked to provide information on their contributions to Telemiracle and 14 of them did so. These 14 schools alone raised $35,922.09 for Telemiracle and some made significant contributions of time as Telemiracle volunteers, some carrying out major responsibilities in key behind the scenes roles. Some of these schools provided pictures of their Telemiracle activities and this has been made into a short video that can be viewed below:
The Student Leadership Team (SLT) at Elrose Composite School in cooperation with the Rosetown RCMP detachment organized an incredibly successful Jail’N’Bail event to support Telemiracle on February 7. A breakout room at the school was re-purposed as a jail and Sgt. Waldner and Officer Gramlick rounded up perps from across Elrose and District who had been nominated by their “friends” and family to serve some time. These convicts then had to make calls to raise bail. Amazingly, this group raised twice as much money as their collective bails required! The SLT also received donations from the local Lions and Lioness Clubs as well as other community members. SLT members Brynn Smith, Cheyenne Jans, Mia Watson, Halaena Sarmiento, Madison Brown with Staff Advisor Jeff Kingwell made their whole community proud when they were able to present a cheque to Telemiracle live on television on February 26.
Dinsmore Composite School students Abby Friesen, Sierra Tully, Pia Sol and Megan Reiber with staff member Ms. de Caux also proudly represented their school by presenting a cheque on live television during Telemiracle. Dinsmore raised most of its funds through a very successful Telemiracle Skate-a-thon. Staff member Kristin Ward also answered phones during Telemiracle as part of the contingent from Dinsmore Kinettes.
Students and staff at Kindersley Composite School were presented with very unique Telemiracle Challenges, courtesy of their Principal Ms. Marchant. Donations to Telemiracle were collected from students during period one classes with the incentive that if the students raised at least $2000 there would be a free school-wide flex period. She also challenged the staff to raise at least $500 and if they did she would cook them all a pancake breakfast. In addition, Ms. Marchant would take over the duties of the staff member who raised the most money for one hour. Kindersley Composite School can be proud that it significantly exceeded the minimum goals set by Ms. Marchant. School Secretary Danita Olafson was Souvenir Chair of the Telemiracle Committee and did a fantastic job creating merchandise that was available all year long.
Students at Elizabeth Middle School in Kindersley, were able to raise a large number of money in a short three day period through the Toonies for Telemiracle campaign. Students were asked to bring $2.00 to school (although many brought more). Grades 5/6 and 7/8 also competed with the classroom that raised the most money receiving a pizza party sponsored by the Student Leadership Council.
For students at North West Central School in Plenty, raising money for Telemiracle is something that goes on all year long. Each time a student wants to wear a hat in school they pay a fee of $1.00 a day with the option of paying a weekly rate of $5.00 per week or $20.00 per month. This contributions really added up and let the school make a sizeable donation to Telemiracle.
The Student Leadership Council at Westcliffe Composite School in Marengo raised money for Telemiracle through selling Helping Hands and candy bags during lunch hours throughout February. Staff member Kelty Heeks and her family also volunteered to help answer phones during Telemiracle.
Outlook High School has an annual hockey game to support Telemiracle where donations to Telemiracle are requested from spectators that are mainly Outlook High School and Outlook Elementary School students. These Outlook students donated generously and made a big donation to Telemiracle. One Grade 6 OHS student, Ella-Rae Malinowski also made a big impression as performer during Telemiracle. Her performance was well-received and she showed amazing talent.
The Sun West Distance Learning Centre (DLC) had a Telemiracle Committee consisting of Renee Harrison, Kara Petterson, Kristin Sampson and Cindy Hilderbrand who came up with very interesting ways to raise funds for Telemiracle. They devised a series of weekly goals that if met would result in various fun and entertaining outcomes. In the first week, a goal of $500 was reached with the result that DLC Principal Ryan Johnson had to shave his head! In the second week a goal of $1000 was met through a competition between five staff members, Regan Muir, Mason Cameron, Michelle Lee-Klaassen, Carol Lewis and Melanie Kerpan, with Mr. Cameron “winning” the honour of kissing a horse. The DLC also raised money passing around a four foot Telemiracle Teddy Bear. It cost $5.00 to hold the bear for a day but $10.00 to pass it on to someone else. You could buy $20.00 in “bear” insurance so no one could pass you the bear. If you had the bear though you had to take it with you everywhere!
The Beechy School Student Leadership Team (SLT) followed its annual tradition of supporting the Telemiracle Committee of nearby Demaine instead of having its own separate committee. The main fundraiser for the Demaine Committee is an online auction and evening event that the Beechy SLT contributes numerous items to. Over the last 22 years Demaine Telemiracle Fundraisers have contributed over a quarter of a million dollars!
At Kenaston School each class took on a fundraising event to fundraise for Telemiracle. The Kindergarten-Grade 1-2 class developed a plan for selling Helping Hands. The Grade 3-4-5-6 class hosted a movie night after school and sold snacks. The Grade 7 class recruited staff members to allow their faces to be put on coin jars. The staff member who got the most coins in their jar got a pie in the face! The Grade 8-9 class had a Bake sale and the Grade 10-12 class hosted a Gym Blast to wrap up Telemiracle fundraising!
Walter Aseltine School in Rosetown students raised money for Telemiracle through selling Helping Hands, holding a Hat Day and through Coin Trains all of which were very successful. Staff members Steve Adnam, Stacy Becker, Janelle Kahovec all volunteered during the Telemiracle telathon as did the Grades 5-6 Choir. The Grades 3-6 Choir performed during the Telemiracle Show on live TV to much acclaim!
During the week before the February break, Rosetown Central High School (RCHS) hosted a Telemiracle fundraiser that included a carnival, a dodgeball tournament, bake sale, pizza lunch and selling Helping Hands to raise money. The carnival, which was attended by RCHS students as well as Grade 6 students from Walter Aseltine School and Harris-Tessier Central School, was a huge success. It had 12 team-led activities around the school for students to participate in such as an obstacle course, minute-to-win-it games, musical chairs, an egg-drop challenge, hockey shoot-out, plinko, and many more. Everyone was thrilled with the generous donations and contributions of staff and students and proud of RCHS Student Representative Council (SRC) President, Kayce LaSalle and two staff members, John McPhee and Bouabid Elkhirani, who with our the local Kinsmen Club attended Telemiracle as volunteers.
Kyle Composite School had a week of fun noon hour activities with a different activity that raised money for Telemiracle each day. On Monday students paid to make guesses in a how many skittles in a jar contest with the winner keeping the jar of skittles. Tuesday was "Tape the Teacher Tuesday" where when enough money was raised students could duck tape their teachers to a wall in the gym. Wednesday was "condiment catch" where students paid to squirt ketchup at Student Leadership Council members. Thursday was a Jail’N’Bail,’ a fun game where students pay to put other students into "jail" and then their bail money goes to Telemiracle. Finally, on Friday, tickets were sold to the "best seat in the house," where one lucky student got to be wheeled around in a teacher's chair and ate candy all day! There was also a community event called "toilet tag.” In toilet tag, students would drop a toilet being off on someone's lawn and the owner would pay a fee for the toilets removal and provide the name of the next person who should receive the toilet. As the student exceeded the Telemiracle goals, the will be allowed to have a wake-a-thon: a fun activity-packed 12-hour overnight stay at the school!
At Lucky Lake School, fundraising for Telemiracle included selling paper chains and Crush Grams. Students could purchase a pack of paper to add to their classes paper chains for one dollar. The class with the longest chain would win a Sundae Party. Grades 5/6 and 11/12 won this competition. Students could also purchase Crush Grams to be delivered to their Crush on Valentine’s Day. Another successful Telemiracle fundraiser was the annual skate-a-thon. The Lucky Lake Ladies Auxiliary supplied hot lunch of grilled cheese, chips and hot chocolate for all staff and students and graciously donated all their profits back to Lucky Lake School to add to the Telemiracle total!
Sun West schools, students, staff and community members can be very proud of all these contributions!