An Edmonton women’s shelter is a little richer this week thanks to the stomach-churning efforts of a St. Albert school.
Staff and students at Ă©cole Secondaire Sainte Marguerite d’Youville tried not to lose their lunches last week as students Chantal Schoenberger and Sarah Zuk chugged a liquefied McDonald’s Happy Meal alongside teacher Rock Thibodeau.
The stunt was part of a fundraiser by the school’s Social Justice club, said event co-ordinator and Grade 12 student Tayler Bremault.
“I thought it would be funny to watch.”
To promote the event, Bremault used an industrial Styrofoam cutter at her dad’s workplace to craft three large McDonald’s “M’s” that the club painted yellow and placed in the school’s lobby. Each had a photo of a different teacher tacked to it – Thibodeau, teacher Arnaud Jean and vice-principal Cindy Pereira – as well as a jar for donations. Students could then vote with their wallets to see which candidate would get stuck with the drink.
“There were quite a few conspiracies around it,” Bremault said of the contest, with staffers rooting for Pereira and students pulling for Thibodeau.
“He calls his body a temple and he never puts anything bad into it,” Bremault said of Thibodeau, so the students were eager to see him gag on this lunch. He’s actually pretty popular among the students, she added.
The campaign raised $413.15 for the Catholic Social Service’s LaSalle Shelter in Edmonton, Bremault says, about $246.35 of which went toward Thibodeau.
Bremault blended the meal with yogurt and Pepsi then handed it over to the “lucky” three.
“It was the most disgusting shade of brown,” she said.
It tasted pretty much like a Happy Meal, said Thibodeau, who downed the glass in one shot.
“The chunks were the worst part.”
He was definitely given more of the meal to drink than the students, he added.
“The kids were really pumped up,” he says of the contest, especially when he was announced as the winner.
“Either they don’t like me or they like me, I don’t know!”
Thibodeau did get to keep the toy that came with the Happy Meal: a penguin that vomits up a fish.
“Pretty ironic, eh?” he joked.
St. Albert Catholic students continued their sesquicentennial celebrations this week with the release of a new video.
The Greater St. Albert Catholic board posted a YouTube video on its website Monday as part of its ongoing 150th anniversary celebrations.
Produced by Catholic board communications manager Carol Bruineman, the video runs through the history of Catholic education in St. Albert in eight minutes and features appearances by historian Ray Pinco and Mayor Nolan Crouse.
The video itself has been in the works since May, says superintendent David Keohane.
“The feedback that we’ve had on it has been outstanding.”
The video is just one of the many celebratory activities happening across the district, Keohane said. Bertha Kennedy students recently held a one-room schoolhouse day, for example, and checked out old-timey games such as cat’s cradle.
Another activity is next June’s 150th anniversary gala at Mission Hill, the tickets for which went on sale this week. Hosted by Edmonton entertainer Danny Hooper, it will feature historic displays, food, music and auctions.
Proceeds from the event will go toward the board’s education foundation to fund scholarships and other projects, Keohane said.
“It’s a celebration, but the ultimate winners at the end will be the students of the future.”
Guests can reserve a table for eight at the gala for $1,200. Individual tickets go on sale on Feb. 2.
Visit gsacrd.ab.ca for details.
