Mr. Bill Chopp, Superintendent for the Brant/Haldimand/Norfolk Catholic District School Board thought that 500 bedkits was going to be a challenging goal to reach, but he brought this objective before his thirty-seven Elementary schools. He knew that it was important that the students learn that there were needy children in developing countries who lacked very basic necessities that we take for granted in Canada. He became aware of the work of the charity called SLEEPING CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD and he became passionate about the need for the children in his schools to have the opportunity to reach out and touch the hearts of those who, through no fault of their own, lived in extreme poverty. His schools opened their hearts in a manner that far exceeded his dreams. On the evening of April 22nd, there will be a celebration at the Catholic Education Centre at 322 Fairview Dr. in Brantford to announce that the Elementary schools and Board office staff have raised over $48,000.00 in support of SLEEPING CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD.
SLEEPING CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD is an exemplary Canadian Charity that was founded in 1970 by Murray and Margaret Dryden, parents of hockey legends Ken and Dave Dryden. This Charity has been recognized by the Toronto Star as one of the five best in Canada. This is largely due to the fact that every penny of a donation is invested in a bedkit that is given to a needy child in a developing country. The bedkit contains items that will provide children with a safe and peaceful night’s sleep. Since 1970 this Charity has delivered 923,000 bedkits to the neediest children in 32 different developing countries. A bedkit, provided through a $30.00 donation typically contains a mosquito net, mattress, blanket, bed sheets, shorts, t-shirt, towel, basin and sandals.
The message of this Charity has been embraced by the children, parents and staff of the schools in this Board. A grade two student, Breanna Bird from Notre Dame School in Caledonia added her personal touch to her donation. She made twenty friendship bracelets and wrote the following message: “I made you friendship bracelets. I hope you like them. Even though you don’t know me and I don’t know you, they can still be friendship bracelets. I hope they don’t break on you because it is a friendship bracelet and you are my friend”.
The children from these communities are truly making a difference. Through their efforts over 1600 needy children in extreme poverty will experience something for the very first time – A PEACEFUL NIGHT’S SLEEP ON THEIR VERY OWN MATTRESS UNDER THE SAFETY OF A MOSQUITO NET!
Also available for download as a PDF file.
For more information please contact Tamara Kaftalovich, Account Executive, Maverick Public Relations Inc @416-640-5525 or Tracey Austin, Coordinator of Community Relations for the Brant/Haldimand/Norfolk Catholic District School Board @ 519-756-6505 x234 or visit the Charity website @www.scaw.org
