Step Up 4 Change has been awarded $2,000 by the Rockwood Centennial Public School social justice committee.
Step UP 4 Change is an initiative launched this spring by three students from Eden Mills.
They are raising funds and awareness for disadvantaged children through a series of projects, including Hopscotch 4 Hope in Eden Mills Oct. 1.
The Penguin Club Big Dreamers award of $2,000 is associated with Free The Children and celebrates children’s contributions to fundraising.
It was originally awarded to the fundraising activities of Rockwood Centennial School’s Social Justice Club.
The club, in turn, gave the full amount to Step Up 4 Change.
Gillian Sigwart, the teacher in charge, has been supportive of Step Up 4 Change and is excited about its work in support of Free The Children.
Step Up 4 Change, co-founded by Kory Melnick (13), Kamari Brown-Gain (13), and Robin Melnick (11), and was inspired by Free the Children’s We Day in Waterloo to spend a year raising funds and awareness for disadvantaged children.
The trio launched the campaign with a Dance 4 Change in Eden Mills in May, as well as a café and bake sale during the Eden Mills Studio Tour.
They already raised over $2,000 towards their goal, but are not stopping there.
To raise more funds, Step UP 4 Change has set itself the challenge of breaking the Guinness World Record for the longest hopscotch course (5.5km) in the world.
Calling it Hopscotch 4 Hope, it has joined forces with Right To Play at the University of Guelph.
Students from Rockwood Centennial Public School and the university will take the leap.
On Sept. 30, while the Eden Mills world record course is being prepared, Right To Play will run a preview hopscotch course on campus.
Then, on Oct. 1 from 9am to 5pm in Eden Mills, Step Up 4 Change invites everyone to participate to raise funds for Free The Children and Right To Play.
Hopscotch 4 Hope consists of two parts. In the morning people can register to hop, run, walk the course as an individual or relay team.
In the afternoon the course will be open to everyone to hop, play, chalk and decorate the boards (chalk provided.)
Donations are appreciated.
The course winds through Eden Mills, beginning at the community park.
There will be live music, entertainment, and speakers from Free The Children and Right To Play, as well as a barbecue and food vendors.
Many sponsors have signed on.
For detailed information, to sponsor, to provide support in advance by buying a Hopscotch 4 Hope square or board, to register to hop, run, or walk or to see the sponsors, visit www.stepup4change.com.
