Article courtesy of Horowhenua Chronicle reporter Sadie Beckman
Horowhenua College’s Year 10 Social Science classes have been learning about social action, culminating in a fundraising extravaganza for the annual Fill A Shoebox appeal.
Students held a festival at lunchtime with raffles, food stalls, baking, sausage sizzle, games and activities to raise money for the appeal which donates shoeboxes full of treats and goodies to children who would otherwise have missed out on Christmas presents due to hardship and family circumstances.
Five classes took part in running the event, having spent the last couple of weeks preparing and planning. Horowhenua District Council also supplied free use of their inflatable football pitch to entertain the crowds.
Some students had also donated in other ways to the appeal. Jenny Sue, 15 worked part time in her parents shop and donated half her wages, totalling over $100 to the appeal. “I just thought other people might need it more than me,” she said.
Fill A Shoebox organisers Therase Apatu and Sgt Beth Purcell of Levin Police also attended the event. The college’s Head of Social Sciences, Kathy Grey, said the money raised would be counted up, then the individual classes would go shopping to buy specified items to put in the shoeboxes. She said that last year the college had filled 70 shoeboxes, but that this year they planned to double that figure.
Ms Apatu said the appeal aimed to fill and distribute 1500 shoeboxes in the Horowhenua community. Last year they filled and distributed 1000 of the boxes to 750 families who would otherwise not have been able to afford to provide Christmas gifts to their children. She said individuals, businesses and organisations were still being sought to fill a shoebox and those interested in helping could email her at therase.apatu@ot.govt.nz