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Port Alberni kids fundraise for Ukraine

Students from John Paul II Catholic School sold handmade pins to raise funds
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Aimee Lambiotte, Abi Knudsen and Elena Veilleux with a few of the pins for Ukraine that were left near the end of their fundraiser outside of Save-on-Foods on June 28. (ELENA RARDON / ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS)

When a group of Grade 5 students at John Paul II Catholic School in Port Alberni learned about the war in Ukraine, they wanted to make a difference.

Abi Knudsen, Elena Veilleux and Aimee Lambiotte set up a fundraiser outside of Save-On-Foods on Tuesday, June 28, selling handmade pins with all funds going towards children in Ukraine.

The students had the help and support of their teacher, Colleen Duncan, who had organized a similar fundraiser of her own for Haiti a few years ago.

“The girls approached me and said they wanted to make a difference to help support the people of Ukraine,” said Duncan.

The three girls—along with the help of a few classmates—spent their lunch hours making beaded blue-and-yellow pins shaped like people.

“Ms. Duncan taught us how,” said Veilleux. “We really wanted to help Ukraine, because it’s really bad right now.”

The students made approximately 100 pins. They sold some to John Paul II staff, and sold the rest outside of Save-On-Foods on Tuesday.

Duncan and her students are still researching which charity they will be donating the proceeds to.

“We want it to go to the children of Ukraine,” said Duncan.

The three students gave a shout-out on Tuesday to their classmates who stayed inside during their lunch hours to help make the pins.

“We wouldn’t have been able to do it without them,” said Lambiotte.



elena.rardon@albernivalleynews.com

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Elena Rardon

About the Author: Elena Rardon

I have worked with the Alberni Valley News since 2016.
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