Beyond Borders Circle of Change reps Michelle Sperle, left, and Melissa Plamondon, attended the merchandise launch of the Lloydminster and District Co-op’s Kindness Wins campaign at the Co-op Marketplace. Supplied Photo
The latest annual Kindness Wins campaign of the Lloydminster and District Co-op will benefit more people than ever with expanded good deeds.
Proceeds from the sales of Kindness Wins merchandise go to the non-profit Beyond Borders Circle of Change (BBCOC) consortium for a variety of student-led projects and some community mental health courses.
“With the different funds that are accumulated, students have the opportunity to benefit the community based on their own passions and anything they think is necessary towards the community, especially nowadays,” said BBCOC spokesperson, Riley Gilroyed.
The student-led projects builds on the spirit of the Co-op’s Kindness Wins merchandise rollout on Feb. 2, and the call to wear pink in support of national Pink Shirt Day on Feb. 23 to stand up to anti-bullying.
The school projects kicked off on Feb. 8 and run until March 25 and include a “Happiness is a Warm Blanket” initiative at St. Mary’s Elementary School.
Their Grade 2 class will make fleece tie blankets to be delivered to seniors’ homes and SPCA/Fur Babies causes.
Another project, dubbed the “Pink Flamingos,” involves students from Avery Outreach School who will be baking and individually packaging sweets to be donated to the clients of Residents in Recovery.
“Kind Words Matter” is a project to be undertaken by students from pre-K to Grade 6 at Barr Colony School.
They will make cards that will be used to share a kind message to someone in the school or community to brighten their days.
Gilroyed says BBCOC has funded 75 student-led projects each with $200 grants during the past five years as beneficiaries of the Co-op’s Kindness Wins fundraiser.
BBCOC members included the Lloydminster public and Catholic school divisions Alberta Health Services, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Lloydminster Community Youth Centre, and Lloydminster Sexual Assault Services.
They work to create a connected community where all individuals feel respected, proud, safe and cared for.
BBCOC will also provide a couple of two-day Trauma Counselling Strategies for Healing and Resilience courses, facilitated by the Crisis Trauma Research Institute.
The courses will benefit up to 100 local attendees from multiple Lloydminster and region community agencies, including the school divisions, healthcare, non-profit sector, and human services.
Funding for the courses comes from the Lloydminster Region Health Foundation and from the sale of the Co-op’s Kindness merchandise.
Limited edition Kindness Wins hoodies ($25), crewnecks ($25), and T-shirts ($15) can be purchased at the Co-op’s food and gas bar locations, with a portion of each unit sold going toward the cause.
Spiro’s Restaurant and Home Hardware Building Centre are holding fundraisers of their own for the BBCOC initiatives.
Spiro’s will offer a heart-shaped pizza in five flavours, with $5 donated from each heart-shaped pizza sold from Feb. 4 to 27.
The Timber Café at Home Hardware will feature a Kindness Wins menu from Feb 21 to 26. A portion of each item sold will be donated to BBCOC.
Gilroyed notes BBCOC will also be continuing bullying prevention training in schools this year separate from the Kindness Wins program.
“It’s training high school students to educate junior high and elementary school students about positive relationships, anti-bullying, and overall, just bettering one’s community,” he explained.
