Oh what a night it was!

Oh what a night it was!

Jun 12, 2024 | event, recap

Unprecedented.

That’s the word that keeps coming to mind when we think back to Friday night’s Grand Finale. Unprecedented turnout despite the rain. Unprecedented resilience from our volunteers. Unprecedented patience from our parents as we adapted to the weather. And unprecedented funds raised setting us up for a good start in the new school year. We’ll share more details on that front at the Annual General Meeting planned for June 26 online. You’re welcome to attend. 

And as we scrambled, pivoted and even despaired (ahem, Daniela), we were reassured that all was not lost by the waves of laughter from the dunk tank crowd, the energy of the kids messing around, the fact that running out of food meant people were eating and the palpable happiness in the air. And the rainbows! What a fortuitous sign. We were stubbornly optimistic when we made the call earlier in the afternoon to push ahead. We said “either way, it’s going to be memorable” and that it was.

A genuine heartfelt  thank you to all our volunteers. You went above and beyond, sticking it out in the downpour and staying on at your posts past your committed time. Thank you to our parents for showing up and taking part – rain be d$#**ed. And thank you to Carmen, Peter, Eugenia, Rosie, and Elena for your enthusiastic support pre, during and post event. Friday was a testament to Willingdon’s community and we couldn’t be prouder.

Check out the photos!

2020-2021 Home and School Recap

Jun 20, 2021 | recap

2020-21 HOME & SCHOOL RECAP

THANK YOU WILLINGDON FAMILIES

Everything may have been very different this year, but we nonetheless had a great year thanks to you! Your generous contributions and amazing spirit have made this another successful Home & School year!

2020-2021 fundraising in numbers: 

Fundraisers: School supplies sale, Mabel’s & Oliver’s Labels, Pizza night and more !

  • $1579.23 raised in proceeds from the 2020 online school supplies sale (240 orders were place last year!)
  • $1614.40 raised through the family pizza night, photo day, and Mabel’s & Oliver’s labels
  • $3970 raised through FroYo (proceeds split between the Grad Committee and Home & School)

Virtual Scholastic Book Fair

  • $3870.78 total sales
  • With the scholastics rewards raised last year, over $5000 in scholastics rewards offered to the teachers in the form of classrooms supplies and books.

Holiday Baskets

  • 12 overflowing boxes of food and goods to fill holiday gift baskets for local families

Grad Committee

  • $10 645.09 raised through the generous donations from the grade 6 families, the Holiday Market, the spirit-wear sales, and chocolates sales.

Family Support Fund 

  • $7442.38 raised through direct donations, Tru Earth, Recette en Pot and the Spirit-wear campaign;
  • Thoughtful Thursday food collections for the Willingdon Pantry initiative;
  • Every family who requested support received sponsorship;
  • Support includes:
    • $5340 spent on school fees and lunch monitor fees;
    • $5179.00 spent on groceries and grocery gift cards for families in need;
    • $101 spent on FroYo;
    • $1105.50 spent on weekly hot lunches from Mini Bistro;
    • and so much more!

2020-2021 ACTIVITIES/EVENTS SUPPORTED BY H&S

  • Year-round “Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week” (TSAW) activities: Thank you to Kim Tulloch & Ania Muller for coordinating such a special TSA year! 
  • Kindergarten welcome treats
  • Snack bags for the Grade 5 Welcome to senior campus event in September
  • Halloween festivities
  • Kindergarten Holiday event
  • Sponsored Mini Bistro lunches
  • Themed days (Tropical Beach Day, Crazy Hat/Hair day)
  • Art Therapy Program
  • New bike racks for senior campus
  • Virtual Magic Show
  • Baked goods collection for Resilience Montreal
  • Kindergarten orientation contributions
  • Photo days
  • Freezie Day
  • Freezies for Kindergarten graduation day
  • Donation of supplies for Autism Awareness month
  • Donation of books for Black History Month

The generosity in the Willingdon Community is truly unmatched. We are so grateful for your continued support throughout the year, for all of our fundraising initiatives.  

We would also like to take this opportunity to extend a heartfelt THANK YOU to the Willingdon administration, staff, and teachers. It is because of all of you that we had such a great year. You welcomed us into the school even during these difficult times and we thank you for the extra support you provided to each of the Home & School initiatives when our volunteers weren’t able to be there themselves.

A very big thank you goes out to all of our volunteers! From FroYo pick-ups and deliveries, to coordinating events, to the day to day volunteering, we appreciate you being there with us to make each of our events happen. THANK YOU ALL !

Cheers & Happy Summer! 

Your Home & School Executive Members

Co-Chairs: Margo Stewart and Karen Negrete

Treasurer & Membership: Anna Calvert

Co-Communications Chairs: Andrea Archibald & Amélie Bélanger

Co-Secretaries: Ania Muller & Veronica Santaguida

Family Support Fund: Kristy Cuevas

Member-at-Large: Julie Trudel