Students in Eastend, a little town in southwest Saskatchewan, have gone above and beyond to help families in need at Ronald McDonald House.
The group’s fundraising efforts still aren’t over but what they’ve achieved so far is incredible and will help ease the financial burden faced by families in a crisis.
On Tuesday, the high school students toured Ronald McDonald House for the second time armed with an incredible gift.
READ MORE: Eastend School raises over $65K for Ronald McDonald House of Saskatchewan
The power to provide hope to families in the province who require a stay at the home away from home so they can be closer to their children who are sick and receiving care in Saskatoon.
“Lots people think ‘oh it’s in the city so it’s for the city people’ but that’s not true,” Janise Michel, a Grade 12 student at Eastend School, said.
“It’s for the people like us who are four or five hours away from a big hospital who have to come to the city and don’t have any where to stay.”
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Michel’s journey with the home is full circle, her father stayed for two weeks when she was born six weeks premature.
“We have other families within Eastend and surrounding communities who have used the Ronald McDonald House and we saw what an amazing organization it is and we really wanted to support them in any way that we could.”
Last year, the teens attended WE Day – a motivational event for youth aimed at giving back.
“It’s a really inspiring atmosphere,” Chiara Gilbert, who is also in her final year of high school, said.
“There’s a whole vibe in the entire room that you can just feel of young people wanting to make a difference in the world.”
READ MORE: Saskatoon women deliver baskets to brighten spirits of sick children
These students have achieved just that, returning for the same event – they had some special news this time to share with the Ronald McDonald House.
Since launching “Raising Hope” in September, they have raised more than $65,000 in a town of no more than 500 people.
They still have a couple months to go before their fundraising deadline in June but say they plan to use what they’ve raised so far to adopt two rooms at the home for at least three years – helping to cover both operational and programming costs.
“Underestimating teenagers is never a good idea, they are brilliant,” Eastend School principal Dee Dean said.
“One will come up with the idea or two or three and it’s like a tidal wave, it just took over.”
READ MORE: Saskatchewan girl to take life-changing trip to Shriners Hospital for Children
Students who have never asked for anything in return and didn’t hesitate at the chance to help others.
“It takes a whole community to make that happen and that includes parents, grandparents that includes teachers and leaders within that community who have never shut those children down,” Tammy Forrester, CEO of Ronald McDonald House Saskatchewan, said.
“They’ve said you can do this and I think that’s probably the most heart warming.”