During St. Augustine’s fourth annual Goodwill Cup on Thursday, Dec. 19, two fundraisers were run simultaneously for the first time.
This year’s effort — fundraising through the actual game portion of the event — brought in approximately $750 and the money goes to the school’s Good Samaritan Fund.
“That fund is for whatever needy families, kids, for textbooks or winter coats,” said event organizer Darren Josephison.
The stands were full of staff and students, who were happily munching away on special treats. “I think it was great. It’s great to see the stands full of kids . . . The kids are really loud,” said Josephison.
With the students who play getting older and providing more of a challenge for the teachers, Josephison says the excitement level rises each year. “As long as everybody has fun, it’s good,” he added, saying the event is all about the holiday spirit.
Members of the community also took to the ice to counter the growing talent of the students, including RCMP member Adam Al-Kadri, Deacon Rollie Comeau and representatives from the school board. “You like to have a number (of people) from the community to make it bigger,” said Josephison.
Josephison modeled the Goodwill Cup after Ponoka Secondary Campus’ Santa Showdown, and as the event grows, the school hopes to be celebrating its own 20th anniversary. “Some people might say ‘oh they’re just copying the Campus.’ That’s exactly what we’re doing. I saw a good thing, so I copied it,” said Josephison.
A potato chip fundraiser graced the event for the first time this year, spearheaded by one of the teachers, Sylvia Brendel.
During the school’s earlier Ponoka and District Chamber of Commerce-hosted student shopping day, the order of chips placed with The Grocery People of Camrose was delivered to the school’s canteen as double the amount, with the additional portion being a donation by the supplier.
Brendel said she had more chips then she knew what to do with and the idea was put forth to sell them to students during the Goodwill Cup.
The approximately $180 raised — each bag sold for a dollar — goes toward the school’s Chalice Organization, which is a Christian-based charity program.
“We could have sold 150 more had I known it’d be such a popular item,” said Brendel, adding she is thinking of expanding the project for next year.