The students of Nanoose Bay Elementary were eager to embarrass their principal, so the promise of the chicken dance was all it took for them to surpass their fundraising goals.
Retiring principal Steve Hamilton promised the school he’d do the silly dance at an assembly if they raised more than $1,000 through their “Chores for Chickens” for Mayan Families Canada.
The students raised just under $1,800, meaning over $1,000 for the chickens at $10 each, and $749 towards the education of a boy the school sponsors.
They also collected four suitcases of clothes, shoes, toys, toothbrushes and other hygiene items that teacher Patricia Craig and her daughter Caitlin will take to Guatemala this summer.
The Craigs will go with the Mayan Families group, including three other Ballenas Secondary students, locals and volunteers from across Canada.
Group founder Robin Pawliuk was on hand to enjoy Hamilton’s performance and recognize the student’s accomplishment. She said it is exciting to have the Ballenas contingent joining the next trip because they have all worked hard to support the same group of families in Guatemala over the years.
She points out that Caitlin is among a group of students that have been helping since they were in elementary school.
The group leaves July 2 with 30 large suitcases of donations from the community. There is one more fundraiser on June 25. Check www.mayanfamiliescanada.org for more information.