St. Francis Xavier students make donation to Habitat for Humanity
By Mathew White
Hundreds of students came together at St. Francis Xavier High School Thursday morning to celebrate two years of fundraising for Habitat for Humanity.
“You are an inspiration for every Habitat for Humanity project across the country,” said Alfred Nikolai, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity. “You should be so proud of what you’ve done.”
- Tiffani (Centre) and her two kids, Tristan (right), and Shayla (left) thank the students of St. Francis Xavier at a ceremony in the school’s gym on Thursday, June 2, 2011. The students helped raise over $100,000 over the past two years for the Habitat for Humanity project. Tiffani and her children are expected to move into their new home by the end of the June. Photograph by Mathew White.
The students of St. FX raised $108,000 over the past two years to secure a home for one of Edmonton’s needy families. Tiffani, who preferred her families’ last name not be used, will be moving into the home with her nine-year-old son, Tristan, and her eight-year-old daughter, Shayla, around the end of June.
“It’s hard to explain the feeling,” said Tiffani. “It’s just so great to get to know all these people who are just willing to help out and lend a hand to other people. It’s a little overwhelming.”
Last year’s student union president, Jennifer Bertrand, and vice-president, Marina Saporito, originally spearheaded the project as part of an initiative for the school’s 50th anniversary.
“They wanted to do something really big,” said Nicole Duigou-Jones, teacher representative for the student’s union at St. FX. “And even the Habitat president didn’t think they could do it.”
But they did do it.
Over the past two years, the students raised roughly $60,000 with a bike-a-thon and over $40,000 with a wake-a-thon – an event where the students stayed awake for 24 hours.
“Everyone’s still shocked that we’ve raised that much money and it’s just been a wonderful experience,” said Duigou-Jones.
Tiffani and her family will be moving into the Habitat’s Anderson Gardens community located on 123 Avenue and 41 Street. The community has 47 different habitat homes, six of which have already been filled. But before moving into her new home, Tiffani will have to donate her “sweat equity” or in other words, 500 hours of her time, something, she says, she’s more than happy to do.
“You get to work with the families that you’ll be living with so you get to know them ahead of time, so you’re basically creating a community before you even move into your home.”
If anyone says to you again that the young people of today are anti-social, individualistic, egotistical creatures on the road to perdition, don’t ever believe them. Look at what the young people of St. Francis Xavier High School have done. Or the kids at Ross Sheppard High School, and many others. We can be proud of our young people.
Congratulations to teachers, students and parents of St. FX High! Obviously there has been some good teaching and mentoring going on for the students and they have been motivated by a strong sense of compassion and social justice. Hopefully this will be sustained thoughout their lives and humanity will reap the rewards of a more peaceful and and caring world. Excellent witness of “acting locally and thinking globally.”
Congratulations and best wishes to the students and teachers of St. FX. We are blessed with strong leadership and students who have raised incredable funds to help create a safe heaven for a family in need. Thank you and God bless.
This is a truly inspirational event that occurred. Wow I am amazed and applaud all those
people involved who worked together and so hard in this task. Congratulations to all!