The EMCS Youth for Change are holding an awareness fundraiser for the public on April 26 at Edward Milne Community School.
The group of humanitarian students are holding their second annual fundraiser titled Love Your Planet. The event will be centred around the theme of eco and social awareness.
According to Scott Rothermel, SD 62 community liasion officer, the event will consist of educational booths to help the public learn about ongoing issues in the community. The EMCS Youth for Change have invited various nonprofit groups and non-governmental organizations to showcase their work.
Among many will be the Western Wilderness committee, TLC Land Conservancy, Ten Thousand Villages and Grandmothers for Africa.
“We’ll have some social awareness and we’ll have some eco-awareness. We’ve invited people like Wild ARC, who take care of animals.”
There will also be a live music component featuring Victoria artists JP Maurice, Georgia Murray, Kytami and DJ D Whiz.
Arts and crafts activities will be available for children and desserts from around the world, coffee and tea will be supplied by the culinary arts department.
“It’s encouraging to see these students can look beyond their own lives and find meaning in helping people out. It’s a selfless act,” Rothermel said, adding the students volunteer their time, without any incentive other then to make a difference.
The group of 25 students have fundraised for breast and prostate cancer, and have held a Red Hand Campaign-- which was a petition against the use of child soldiers.
Grade 12 student Leah Kelley has been a member of Youth for Change since it’s inception two years ago.
She said the event is a good opportunity to realize some of the different charities worldwide, and the multiculturalism that exists in Victoria.
“I have an interest in NGOs that are going to be there… and they’re something I want to be more involved in for years to come,” she said. “[The event] is a good representation of what we do.”
Rothermel said the event is a collaboration between Stick in the Mud and David Evans from the Rotary Club who is leading an effort to sponsor tuition fees for low income children in Panama.
Proceeds from the event will be split three ways: to Youth for Change to continue their campaign efforts, to the Panama effort and to the TLC Land Conservancy for their protection of the Sooke Potholes.
The event will run from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. and tickets are available at the EMCS office and Stick in the Mud.
www.facebook.com/emcs.loveyourplanet