Local high school students are organizing bottle drives, barbecues and hockey games to make prom happen this year.
North Grenville District High School’s Prom Committee is working to collect the money they need, hoping to hold the event on the Kemptville Campus. Some students have also been collecting and selling empty beer bottles to raise money.
Emma, a member of the committee, says the students are responsible for everything, including paying for the venue and catering. “I think we have around $3,000 saved from the fundraisers we’ve done,” she says.
On April 5th, the committee held a public barbecue in Kemptville’s Riverside Park, which brought in $500. Abby, another committee member, says it’s not the only event they have planned.
“We hope to do a fundraising hockey game at the Municipal Centre,” she says. Students from St. Michael Catholic High School are also taking part.
“We’re just about securing icetime,” Abby continues, “but we’re hoping that, with the two competing rival schools, that it’ll be a big turnout. Half the proceeds will go to NG, and the other half will go to [the St. Michael prom committee].”
Owen, one of the students who worked at the barbecue, says being able to organize an in-person prom has made him excited, after two years without them because of the pandemic.
“It feels wonderful. Like, I feel really bad for all the students that didn’t get [a prom], but now that we’re actually able to do it, I feel like everybody should put their feet forward, and keep on it, and do as much as they can for the cause, because they’re the ones graduating.”
If you want to contribute, the students have created an Instagram page where they’re sharing details about the fundraising events and the address to drop off any empty beer bottles you’d like to donate. You can visit the page here.