GORE BAY—Charles C. McLean Public School in Gore Bay currently leads the way for all elementary schools Canada-wide for the national Jump Rope for Heart fundraising campaign.
“We have been keeping a close eye on the school and the community and what they have accomplished, especially for a small school and community,” said Ann Guilfoyle, director of Peer to Peer fundraising for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, from her Toronto office last week. “As of March 28, C.C. McLean was at the top of the list in fundraising among all elementary schools in Canada.” In second place is a school from Vancouver, and a school from Alberta is currently third.
Jump Rope for Heart is held in elementary schools in Canada annually. C.C. McLean is one of over 2,500 elementary schools and hundreds of thousands of students in the country who are taking part this year.
Robyn Best, principal of C.C. McLean said, “Currently we are the top fundraising school in Canada for Jump Rope for Heart. We can’t get our heads around this fact. It is phenomenal. Our (fundraising) campaign closes today (March 28) with our jump rope event, and our school has raised $13,377 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Our original goal had been to raise $2,500.”
“One of our teachers, Elizabeth Van Every spearheaded the school registering for Jump Rope for Heart. We started the process on February 22 and kicked off the fundraising campaign,” said Ms. Best. “Things have changed in the way the students fundraise. While they used to get an envelope and go door to door for donations. Now it is all done online; families register their kids on the Jump Rope for Heart website, and parents post this on social media so it goes out to uncles, aunts, grandparents, everyone. The Town of Gore Bay posted our fundraising campaign on social media as well and we had people who have been affiliated with the school in the past who took part. The whole fundraising campaign went like wildfire.”
Ms. Van Every said, “we haven’t participated in Jump Rope for Heart at the school since 2019 due to the pandemic. This year marks the first time we have participated since then.”
“It is unbelievable, I’ve been blown away by the support our school has received,” stated Ms. Van Every. “The students have raised more this year than the years 2017-2019 combined.” She noted a student in the Grade 4/5 class raised the largest amount, but “everyone in the school has taken part, and a number of families have been very generous as well.”
Ms. Van Every has been running regular practice for the students in the school gymnasium and students have been practicing their skipping skills during recess as well.
“Best of luck to all those jumping kids, and please let them know I am so proud of their efforts to bring about change through charity,” wrote Lisa Corbiere-Addison, Island trustee with the Rainbow District School Board. “A small but mighty community that is the best jump rope for heart fundraiser this year. C.C. McLean will leave a mark in Canadian history.”
Ms. Guilfoyle noted that as of March 28, the Jump Day held at C.C. McLean (which marked the end of the school’s fundraising campaign), the school had raised the most in Canada. “Schools can still take part to the end of the school year in June depending on the province. So the fundraising standings could change, but at this point C.C. McLean has raised the most amount in Canada. They are amazing.”
“This is the biggest public education fundraising program held in Canada every year,” said Ms. Guilfoyle. “The students gain healthy habits while they take on fundraising to defeat heart and stroke disease, so it is definitely a very worthy cause.”
