East Lake School students raised roughly $1,400 for para cyclists Cara Douville and Carly Shibley with a 24-hour Basketball-A-Thon.
On May 30, grade six and seven students played basketball from 1 p.m., until the early evening, then grade eight and nine students tagged in and played throughout the night until 1 p.m., the following day.
“One of the games was at 2:15 a.m., they’re crazy,” said East Lake School Assistant Principal Shannon Storey-Heffer with obvious pride and a smile.
Students who weren’t playing basketball were able to watch a movie, play games, or sleep; and of course all of the students were expected to be in class the next day.
“Many teachers gave up their night as well, which is amazing,” Storey-Heffer said.
She added, “Nothing like this has been done before. We weren’t sure how it was going to go, but it was great.”
The East Lake School Council was inspired after listening to the para cyclists’ stories and wanted to host multiple fundraisers, including the Basketball-A-Thon and the Tea and Talent, which raised over $2,000 for the athletes.
“This was a student-run event. Students had adults guide them throughout the way, but the true essence of the Basketball-A-Thon was from the students,” said East Lake School Principal Jordan Fenton.
“Our students never cease to amaze me. When they put their minds to something, they do it well. They have been tremendous and willing supporters of the two athletes,” he said.
Esha Rafaqat, Kristina Tatoulis, Mariah Hammoud, Nimrit Dhaliwal, and Priya Brar organized the fundraiser by scheduling basketball games, tracking permission forums, staying up all night ensuring the Basketball-A-Thon was going smoothly and then went to class the next day.
The para cyclists’ stories resonated with the group of grade nine students who organized the Basketball-A-Thon because they all are passionate about sports, and don’t want to be held back.
“They adopted a cause and ran with it,” Storey-Heffer said.
“As word spread, more and more students were enthusiastic about it and wanted to help. We had kids in the younger grades who wanted to be a part of it, which was sweet,” she added.
Not only did the Basketball-A-Thon assist the athletes, but it also taught students the rewards of being involved in their community and contributing positively.
“It teaches students the power of giving back, and it encourages them to want to do more,” Storey-Heffer said.
The Basketball-A-Thon was an essential event for East Lake School because it brought the school community together with an idea of making a difference in the greater community.
“The students played a significant role in helping two people who were strangers to them go to the Olympics,” Fenton said.
“We’re proud of our students. If you have expectations for children, they can exceed them. We should always believe in their abilities,” he added.
