By Rose Sanchez
Southeast Alberta
Three Jenner area school teachers came up with a way to give back to flood-effected individuals and get the school children involved thanks to a unique fundraiser called Rain Boots Raise Bucks.

When the massive flooding event took place June 18th, Jenner school teacher Cara McFarlane, Jenner principal Audrey Hill, and Susan Martin principal at the Jenner Hutterite Colony, wanted to do something to help. While carpooling to their schools they came up with the idea of collecting funds using rain boots.

In about a week, and after challenging other schools in Prairie Rose School Division, the fundraiser garnered more than $11,000.

On July 13th, a cheque for $11,427.40 was handed over to the Red Cross in Medicine Hat.

The teachers in Jenner showed the video of the destructive flooding to school students and sent a note home with them for their parents. Then they watched the money start rolling in. They also challenged other division schools to take part in the fundraising initiative and Eagle Butte High School, Jenner Colony School, Margaret Wooding School, Irvine School, Burdett School and Ralston School answered the call.

“It was really amazing,” says McFarlane, in describing

the generosity of the students and parents. The Alberta Teachers’ Association and the Prairie Rose Local ATA No. 2 also gave donations, along with the Medicine Hat Kinette Club and the school division head office.

At Jenner, the rain boots were set out at the awards day capping off the school year and parents were dropping cheques into them.

“We never expected that amount,” adds McFarlane once the donations were added together.

The reason the three teachers wanted to help out was simple.

“Lots of staff and students in the division were directly effected,” says McFarlane. “As teachers and students we need to support our community.”

Debra Schutte, office co-ordinator with the Medicine Hat branch of the Red Cross, was grateful for the funds.

“Every penny makes so much difference,” she says.

“You can see it in the lives of the people who everyday are coming to the recovery centres.”

Sometimes individuals effected by the flooding are seeking clothing, while sometimes it’s toys because their children lost everything.

“To bring normalcy to their lives, these things are important to them.”

Now that the initial shock of the flooding event has worn off, people effected are starting to wonder what to do now.

“They’ve been struggling on their own the last two weeks to cope and keep everything together and they’re coming to the end of their rope,” says Schutte.

Donations are still being accepted by the Red Cross to help victims of the flood.

“When a disaster gets out of the public’s view and it’s no longer front page news, people tend to forget about it, but the needs tend to go on for a good year afterward.”

Individuals wanting to make a donation or find out more information can check online at www.redcross.ca or stop by the office in Medicine Hat located at 398 Aberdeen Street. S.E.  Office hours are Mondays to Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.