Willingdon Elementary students raise thousands for Fort McMurray wildfire victims

NOTRE-DAME-DE-GRÂCE — In one week, Willingdon Elementary students in NDG have raised $4,000 for the victims of the Fort McMurray wildfire.

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The kids fundraised together as a group, and some branched out on their own: a second-grader raised $100 with a lemonade stand and a third-grader, who reunited his family on Victoria Day weekend to ask for money, gathered about $300.

“We had little Grade 3, Grade 2, kindergartners understanding law and empathy and trying to do what they could with positive action,” said science teacher Kathleen Usher, who inspired the kids to act after a talk she gave to student council about the fire.

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“Imagine it was the people in Montreal who had these fires. It’d be horrible,” said organizer Emilia Martinez-Zalce Darroch.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Imagine it was the people in Montreal who had these fires. It'd be horrible," said organizer Emilia Martinez-Zalce Darroch.

“No one really wants to go through that, so we decided to help out.”

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Tuesday, students hit the streets of NDG, chanting and displaying banners looking for donations.

“I basically went into the street and said, ‘give money for Fort McMurray!’ and some people gave me some money,” said Grade 6 student Molly, while shaking her bucket filled with coins.

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They also walked to remind people that many families are still being affected by the fires.

“You kinda forget it because you don’t read about it,” said NDG resident Ildi Feher.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "You kinda forget it because you don't read about it," said NDG resident Ildi Feher.

“It definitely raised my awareness about it.”

READ MORE: Fort McMurray couple whose home burned down uncertain of future

For the students, the most important thing was to help the victims of the wildfires.

“It makes me feel good inside,” saidDaniel Drozhin.

“Proud that I helped people although I never knew any of them.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Proud that I helped people although I never knew any of them."

“Picture yourself being so happy that you’ve received all these things, from people you don’t even know and they just care about you,” added Mehnaz Hussein.