Time to help some of our Northern beloved graduates <3

Graduation rates in Northern communities are often dismal. There are lots of reasons as to why kids do not successfully get to graduation: Teen pregnancy, academic struggles and frustrations, financial difficulties forcing kids to go to work to support families, mental illness, families not emphasizing and valuing the importance of education etc. There seems to be lots of barriers in a Northern student's journey to basic education and graduation so when students get to that finish line it is reason to celebrate and rejoice <3

Ana is hoping to not only celebrate her high school graduates but give the community a reason to get together and celebrate the success of their youth! And she needs some help from us <3

Ana and the kids at the school will sell items we send with proceeds to help throw a graduation party and a communal feast the community wont soon forget :-)

DATE OF THE SALE: They are aiming for a sale on May 10th <3

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

1.) They are hoping to get things to raffle. Usually raffle items are items that are larger in size and value. If you have something like a lovely quilt they can sell tickets for a chance to win they would gratefully take it. Due to the size of the hamlet It is enormously hard to fund raise so they are looking to peak everyone's interest by getting some interesting items to raffle.

2.) Sending items to sell. Chesterfield Inlet is a bit stuck in a 80s rut...There are mullets and fanny packs but they have little fancy form wear for anyone from newborn to elder. Both prom and graduation are communal events where everyone is invited but many kids and adults show up in sweat pants and Tshirts. They need the following to give their residents access to inexpensive formal wear

* Party dresses for young children, teenagers and adults.

* Dress pants and dress shirts for the young and older men of this community

* Sparkly hair ware for the girls and ties for the boys

The other big sellers at the last sale were sewing material, thread, bias tape, ric rac, soap, manicure sets, camping and fishing gear, clothing for all ages..literally everything sent by kind donators made people squeal with surprise and happiness.

Themed packs have been popular in the past. You can pack your packages in small clear gift bags or even Ziplock bags so competitive people can see what the kids have to sell ;-)

Get creative..but if you need some ideas for themes of your bags here are some ideas:

* Mother's Day-- This sale will be just in time for kids to buy things for their Mamas and Grandmas for their big day! Perhaps a fashion scarf, chocolate,candles, a pair of earrings, a sewing kit
* Bath and Bedtime--A pair of kids' pajamas, a book, a wash cloth, a toy for the tub
* Frozen
*Camo
* Beauty (Make up, a compact, nail polish, a hair brush, loufah, bath fizzies)
*Camping (A tin cup, Rope, fishing gear, a small knife..The dollar store have interesting things like sporks as well ;-) )
*Hockey
* Painter (A dollar store canvas, paints, pallet,brushes)
*Baker/Household items (A small cake pan, a spatula)
*Minions
* General Birthday (A Happy Birthday card, A Happy Birthday sign, balloons, streamers, candles) This could also be made into packages for 30th, 40th, 50th birthdays if you can find supplies
*Baby ( A onesie or sleeper, a small toy, a washcloth and baby sunglasses)
*Winter Wonderland (a hat, gloves, chap stick, sunglasses) *Father's Day
*Entertainment/Weekend Fun (A DVD, a microwave popcorn, hot chocolate a deck of cards)
* Little Boy (A Tshirt, a Hot wheels car, stickers, a wallet, a hat)
* Little Girl (A Tshirt, costume jewelry, a wallet, a diary, a bead kit)

Parents of kids and grads: Think of all the work associated with your kid's activities and the endless fundraising that must be done when things have to somehow get paid. Now think about how lucky you are to have options in comparison to small Northern communities who may have none! Sunny community garage sales, car washes and all those other creative ways parents and kids fund raise are not available options for Northern communities. The most common way of fundraising is often gambling..bingo and other games of chance that sometimes put their low income residents at furthur financial risk. In many of the communities they have said they are grateful to have a fun way of helping a community that may not include gambling. small sized girl wearing for evening party

Our sales get items into communities so groups can fairly sell items for reasonable prices. With no dollar or discount stores people are saved from having to buy things at insane prices at their local store and money stays exclusively in the community to help with whatever a Northern community needs <3

If you want to help Ana put on the best Grad celebration her community has ever seen and help build some community spirit after a rough winter the address to send to is:

Mad for Grad
Victor Sammurtok School
C/O Ana Leishman
PO BOX 6
Chesterfield Inlet, NU
X0C 0B0

If anyone wants to see what great things we helped them accomplish last year..Take a look <3
https://www.facebook.com/groups/838330399609326/permalink/1591915270917498/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/838330399609326/permalink/1613850915390600/