OSDSS Students Raise Over $37,000 for Cancer Research, Beating Goal Threefold
The OSDSS Relay for Life event raised $37,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society, exceeding its $10,000 goal thanks to student leadership and community support.
SUBMITTED
Two Leadership classes at Owen Sound District Secondary School (OSDSS) have stepped up in a big way this semester to support the Canadian Cancer Society.
Under the guidance of their teacher, Katie Ferguson, the student-led Relay for Life took place at the school on Thursday, October 2, raising over $37,000 and counting! This is despite an initial fundraising target of $10,000, a tight timeline of three weeks for planning, and the unusual fall timing with Relay for Life events typically associated with springtime.
The original $10k target was established after the students surpassed $5,000 in donations just ahead of their full school assembly launch event. This remarkable achievement transformed the launch into a celebratory ‘pie in the face’ with teachers Rob Lee and Owen Ferguson agreeing to put their mugs in the line of fire.
Donations continued to roll in at warp speed with the initial goal doubling to beyond 20k after a mere week and a half thanks to the Leadership students and their supportive peers. Community donations and sponsorships also contributed to the enormous success during the lead-up to the event.
With the arrival of relay day on October 2, yellow shirts could be seen on the OSDSS field as cancer survivors led approximately 180 student participants around the track in an opening survivor lap.
A broad range of student activities followed, including sports competitions, pumpkin carving, art stations, music, and special theme laps. Student teams, many of whom showed up in themed costumes, exemplified passion and spirit as they engaged with one another in the afternoon sun.
Culminating a successful day was the lighting of luminary bags in the school gymnasium and a moment of reflection to honour survivors and those lost to cancer.
Leadership teacher Katie Ferguson said,
“It’s been absolutely incredible to watch these kids team up and go to work for an amazing cause.
As the Leadership teacher for the last four years, it has been the most rewarding experience of my teaching career to see how incredible these young people are and what they can accomplish—not just this event, but the many we have done over the last several years.
Sometimes teenagers get a bad rap, but I know firsthand how compassionate and dedicated they can be. It truly brings me so much joy to work with them.”
To learn more about the event and/or contribute to the cause, click here.
Submitted by the Bluewater District School Board