THUNDER BAY – Chloe Rabachuk is just 11 years old, but already knows how important it is to give back to others, especially at Christmastime.
A Grade 6 student at Holy Cross School, Chloe, her classmates and the Catholic Parent Council at the school recently held a Mingle and Jingle fundraiser, collecting a total of $1,500.
Half of the money will be donated to the school, the other half to Toys for Tots.
It’s a good feeling, Chloe said on Friday, before turning the cheque over to local firefighters.
“We thought it would be a good idea because not all people can have Christmas gifts. Some people get a bunch of Christmas gifts and others don’t get anything,” she said. “So we wanted to help give them gifts.”
Classmate Abbi Brown, echoed a similar sentiment.
“Some kids don’t get as much and they’re less fortunate. They need happiness too,” the 11-year-old said.
The event included a scavenger hunt, raffle baskets and ornament making, said Leia Blieske, whose parents helped organize the fundraiser.
It was for a great cause, she said.
“On Christmas morning not all kids get gifts. This was a fundraiser and all the stuff is going to them and Toys for Tots.
Holy Cross principal Flora Jedruch said it’s the Catholic way to give back.
“We receive so much, so we want to be able to do our part as Catholics. It’s not just a privilege, but a responsibility to give back,” she said.
Toys for Tots, put on by the Thunder Bay Professional Firefighters, donates toys to children who otherwise might go without over the holidays, through the Christmas Cheer program.
