| Friends of Cawthra Park is our fundraising group.
The Cawthra Park Secondary School "Lose the Blues on a Cruise" fundraising
event was held on Friday, February 8th. Thank you to all of the parents
that supported the event by attending and participating in our raffle and
silent auction and to those whose children supported the event through their
involvement.
By all accounts, the evening was a tremendous success. For those of you who
are new to the school, this was the second annual "Lose the Blues" event.
Last year we staged it in the school and attracted about 225 people. This
year we decided to go bigger and better and rented a hall. Attendance
increased to over 330 people. Last year, the event raised over $8,000 (net
of costs). This year, we made about $12,500. Next year, with your
continued support, we hope to attract at least 450 people and increase the
amount raised for the school by another 30 - 40%.
At the centre of the evening was a series of performances by the students.
As always, their presentations were outstanding, under the direction of a
group of gifted and committed teachers. They impressed parents, relatives
and friends with the diversity and depth of their talent. Supporting them
was a large cast of other students that contributed in a variety of ways
from making decorations to serving meals, selling raffle tickets, greeting
guests at the door and generally ensuring that the mood was festive and that
a good time was had by all. From the beginning to the end each of them was
instrumental in making the night memorable.
Of course, prior to the event itself, a lot of people contributed behind the
scenes. Karen Vincent and the office staff provided our face to the students
and the parents as they helped with ticket sales and overall communications.
Thanks to the custodial staff for ensuring we had access to meeting rooms,
for cleaning up after us and for their help loading vehicles on the day of
the event. In particular, a HUGE thank you goes out to the parent
volunteers who invested significant hours in organizing and executing this
amazing night. We had about 20 people who invested their time consistently
from September to February, making sure that every detail got taken care
of. It was a great pleasure for us to work with such a wonderful group of
parents. If you are interested in volunteering for next year's fundraising
committee, please send an e-mail to Cindie Garraway at fcpcindie@hotmail.com
with your contact details.
Finally, we want to thank Principal Jane Michalak for her dedication, advice
and participation. We especially appreciate her willingness to get into the
spirit of the event by wearing a captain's costume and running a tight ship
all around.
Congratulations to all of those involved and THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
Sincerely,
Roy Gowler
Chairperson
Lose the Blues Fundraiser 2008
Cindie Garraway
President
Friends of Cawthra Park SS
*****************************************************************************
How is the money we raise spent? Here are just a few examples of what had
been purchased for the school in the past two years through our fundraising
efforts:
* Portable sound system and a digital camera for the Dance department
* Computers, study carrel, graphic novels and display units for the Library
* LCD projector, rechargeable batteries and geometric models for Math
* Contributions to the purchase of instruments and a Sibelius software site
licence for Music
* Cameras, lenses and enlargers for Photography
* Sound system and basketball net repairs for Phys Ed
* TV cart, DVD and videos for Science
* GPS units for Social Sciences
* Tools and equipment for Technology projects
* Scanners, drawing tablets, a MacBook and an LCD projector for Visual Arts
* Contribution toward the agendas used by all students
Who are the Friends of Cawthra Park Inc.(FCP)?
The FCP is a group of dedicated parent volunteers who organize fundraising
events to purchase educational resources for our school and its students.
The library, sports, academic and RAP departments have all benefited from
their efforts.
The FCP is comprised of a President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary,
Members at Large and many willing volunteers. This parent organization
serves as the fundraising group for the school and is separate from the
school council. Three times a year, the FCP and the school council meet
together as the Cawthra Community Circle. (See the “Membership” section of
this website for current members of both organizations.) The Friends of
Cawthra Park Inc. is a registered charity and can provide tax receipts for
donations.
In the past, Bingo has been the primary fundraising mechanism but its
popularity has dwindled and it no longer brings in the kind of money that it
once did. As a result, the FCP is looking for innovative new ways raise
money so that they can continue to enhance the educational experience for
all of the students at Cawthra Park Secondary.
All meetings are open to all interested parents/visitors. (See
the “Calendar/Meetings” section of this website for dates & times.)
All parents are welcome to join and help in the ongoing fundraising
efforts. Please vist the website to get more information:
http://www.friendsofcawthrapark.com/index.html
| |
