Terry’s Team keeps finding ways to make their community a better place to be.
The group is made up of about 35 Grade 5 students at Terry Fox elementary school in Abbotsford, and their focus is on raising money needed in the community.
Four of them members braved the microphone at the March 7 meeting of the school board, and took turns reading out a shared statement.
“Our values are caring, teamwork, respect and honesty,” one said. “We were inspired by Terry Fox himself and how he served his country.”
But their real inspiration came from a classmate, Bailey, who died this school year. While mourning their classmate, they turned their grief into a positive movement.
“She had a lifelong illness,” the group explained. “She couldn’t see, hear, walk or talk — but she had a great smile she made everyone feel good around her, because of her smile and joy.”
That’s why the formed Terry’s Team, and their initial fundraising earned $1,900 for the Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, where their classmate spent a lot of her time.
They didn’t stop there.
“We have another classmate who needs a heart operation,” one of the students told the board. “Her family cannot afford to live in Vancouver for the many weeks of recovery our classmate will need, so we held a two-day bake sale to raise money to support her.”
Selling off chocolate chip cookies and other assorted goodies raised nearly $600 to help the family get through their ordeal. At Christmas, they coordinated the food drive and collected 900 items for the food bank, and on Valentine’s Day they raised $600 for the Abbotsford SPCA through the sale of friendship candy grams and hot chocolate.
They also made sure every student in the school got a bag of candy.
“We have loved being involved in Terry’s Team,” they surmised. “We have raised around $3,000 this year for our community.”
The board of education was clearly impressed, and shared their own connections to Terry Fox and charitable work with the group.
“Terry Fox is quite inspiring,” said Trustee Jared White. “I now work for a charity and we raise money like you did for Terry’s Team. I want you to know there are people who actually do what you did for a living. We need people like you who spend their lives raising money for good causes.”
Trustee Stan Petersen told the students about travelling to Newfoundland where Terry Fox began his Marathon of Hope in 1980.
“He’s my hero,” said Petersen, and with a son who teaches at Terry Fox secondary in Coquitlam, he said the Canadian legend’s name is often spoken in their home.
Trustee Shirley Wilson told the students that when they do good work, it is beneficial to everyone around them, and Mike Rauch let them know that he is friends with Terry’s brother, Darrell.
“He’s told me many, many stories of Terry and I know he would be very proud of you,” Rauch said.
Trustee Rai Preet called the students brave, and reminded the group that the board office should be included in their rounds of fundraising — especially during bake sales.
“And of course, we will donate!” he added.
@CHWKcommunity
jessica.peters@abbynews.com
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