Several student-led school projects will benefit from grant dollars raised through the Kindness Wins effort.
The sale of special shirts at Lloydminster Cooperative designed by artist Brandi Hofer and the LPSD Art Academy raised $8,420 during February.
Tess Wack, director of marketing and community relations expressed the Lloydminster Cooperative’s gratitude for the community support as they made the donation to Beyond Borders Circle of Change, the group that facilitates the grants for local student projects.
“Kindness Wins is important to us because we want to live and foster an inclusive, kind and welcoming community and we are proud to be a part of that community.”
Over the 15-year span of the program, the sale of merchandise at the Lloydminster Cooperative has raised over $56,000 for the student-led efforts.
Preema Nathan, grade 12 student at Holy Rosary is a member of the school’s Kindness is Power or KIP program. This year they are leading a Kindness Wins Challenge at their school.
“Like one person made a video about anti-bullying. Other people will make little items that have kindness messages and place them around the school.”
The group led a fundraiser selling pink drinks at school. Students wore their pink shirts. The effort raised more funds to support the kindness projects.
Each school project gets $200 to support their effort.
At Lloydminster Public School Division the project lineup includes:
- Jack Kemp – Blankets for Babies
- Avery Outreach – Fill The Fridge
- ES Laird – Companionship for Seniors
- Queen Elizabeth – Spreading Kindness
In the Lloydminster Catholic School Division, the student-led efforts include:
- Mother Teresa ECEC made birdfeeders for seniors at Pioneer House
- Father Gorman, St. Mary’s, and Ecole St. Thomas made 140 mental health bags for the Lloydminster Region Health Foundation
- St. Joseph’s – birthday cards and trays for families at Residents in Recovery
Riley Gilroyed, director with Beyond Borders Circle of Change says kindness not only wins, but it spreads.
“We’re just really proud with how the community responds. Each year it gets bigger and it becomes that much more worthwhile that we continue to do this and have continued success.”
Beyond Borders Circle of Change will be working through the grant applications for the student-led projects and busying itself with its next project which is a workshop on May 5-6 dealing Anxiety in Children and Youth.
The in-person workshops will be held at the Lloyd Ex from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. More details are available online.
