The Quyon community gathered in the school yard of Onslow Elementary on Thursday evening to partake in the school’s spring fair fundraiser, organized by its Home and School Committee.
Around 5 p.m. families started to flood the yard to enjoy the many activities set up for the kids, including a face painting station and a (temporary) tattoo parlour, bouncy castles and yard games, and a fire truck.
At the pop-up petting zoo hosted by the Shawville 4-H club, Eloise Thompson held Peter, a rabbit, while showing him to passers by. Lambs Sunflower and Billy were kept on short leashes, shorter after a few made speedy but brief escapes from the young handlers.
For one of the event’s highlights, the committee sold tickets to those who wanted an opportunity to dump a bucket of water over school principal Cathy Nugent’s head.
“Our Home and School Committee puts so much heart into building a strong, supportive school community.
Saying yes was just a small way to show my appreciation for all they do,” Nugent said.
“It sure brought a crowd, and if it helped bring us together while raising a little more for our students, then getting soaked was well worth it!”
She said a number of students knew she would be making an appearance at the dunk tank and that one student named Teo Proulx had confidently declared, “I’m going to get you,” and was indeed the student who hit the target that triggered the bucket of water to fall on her head.
To accompany the fair, the committee organized an online auction, in which they sold over 160 items donated by the community as well as art made by the students of the school. “It was a huge success,” said Amanda Mackechnie, vice-president of the committee.
“We have a very generous community.”
The auction and fair combined raised a total of $10,000 which the committee will use to support the school in various ways.
This year, the committee bought 40 pairs of snowshoes for the school to use, to help students explore the outdoors.
The committee is still discussing specifics for next year’s activities, but plan to survey with teachers and staff to understand exactly what is needed to be able to give back to each classroom, Mackechnie said.
