The Cross Cancer Institute supplies wigs to many people who lose their hair each year because of chemotherapy treatments.
Paul Kane High School has a group of cosmetology and art students who are always looking for ways to combine their talents and support charity.
And thus, Pens and Pins was born. The charity event is described as a hair and art gala dedicated to raising funds for the wig salon at the Cross. The students are busily preparing their masterpieces on mannequins for a public display happening in 12 days.
"They've raised thousands," said art teacher Colleen Hewitt, explaining the ongoing charitable activities of her students. "I think they're past the $10,000 mark. They're working toward $15,000."
She added that their efforts are greatly appreciated by the staff and clients at the wig salon.
"They love it! A lot of people don't know about the salon. They raise funds for lots of different things for cancer. I don't think they are aware of the fact that there is a wig salon at the Cross Cancer Institute that serves the people who are losing hair from their treatments. They're really quite touched by the work that the kids do. I think people are always surprised when teenagers step up to the plate."
While the cosmetology students pin up some unique hairstyles derived as interpretations of some of the world's most famous and impressive buildings, the art students will be putting pens to paper as they sketch and etch out that same architecture. All will be set out for viewing by theatre patrons and members of the public alike.
The drawings will be sold off at silent auction and members of the public can vote on their favourite hairstyle for $1. All proceeds will go to the wig salon.
Pens and Pins runs at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 22 at the Arden Theatre, during the school's production of White Christmas. In the spring they also do Cosmo for a Cause, another way of helping the wig salon. During that event, the students prepare a series of fantasy hairstyles for pledges and popularity votes.
A good time of year to learn from a Giving Elf
There's Santa and then there's Nicole Pearson. Both have a fondness for elves and for promoting peace and happiness on earth.
The Servus Place communications rep needs your votes to help promote a website game that she wants to develop. Currently, Giving Elf is a semifinalist in an online contest being run by Aviva Insurance. If Pearson is lucky enough to win by garnering the most votes, then she will take home $100,000 to bring the game to cyberspace.
"It will teach kids to give. Through it, they'll be able to give to any Canadian charity that they choose. They'll be able to use it to fundraise, schools will be able to create a group on it and fundraise through that, but as well kids will be able to get to play a video game. As they raise money for charity, they'll get things in the game."
Semifinal voting lasts until Dec. 16. People can vote once a day up to a maximum of 15 times. Right now, Giving Elf has 1,284 votes in the $50,000-100,000 category, while the leader, Des arbres et des jeux, has 3,526 votes.
To cast your ballots in the contest, visit www.avivacommunityfund.org.
Special Olympics gets special help
The upcoming Special Olympics Winter Games committee got a nice surprise from the local Rona Store. The hardware retailer has a program that gives all profits from sales of products from one aisle to different charities throughout the year.
With a little more than two months before the Games begin and manager Mike Edwards admitting there's a "very large gap" in funding right now, Rona store manager Kim Switner stepped up. She's giving the group two months' worth of proceeds instead of the usual one.
"We all live in St. Albert and we all want to help out all the charities that are in need," Switner said. "We just thought it was very important to be a part of it and to support the athletes and the organizers."
Edwards said that this is just another extension of the positive response from the business community. He hopes that more people and businesses step forward as the countdown clock ticks down to the opening of the games.
To help promote the Rona effort, several athletes and volunteers will be at the store today from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. St. Albert Rona is located at 18 Inglewood Drive.
In other news for the Special Olympics, volunteer knitters are needed to knit or crochet scarves as keepsakes for the 650-plus athletes. Please call the Community Information and Volunteer Centre at 780-459-6666 or visit www.stalbertcivc.com for more information.
