Supporting others this Christmas
Athena Consolidated raising money for community families with skating event
Melissa Noonan Gallant has her skates sharpened and she’s ready for a morning on the ice. She hopes other community residents are ready too. “We’re gearing up for our annual school fundraiser. In the past it’s been the Reindeer Run, but this year we thought we’d do something new with the Santa Skate.”
Noonan Gallant is a teacher at Athena Consolidated School in Summerside. Each year they
fundraise through a number of initiatives to raise money for families in their school community and Summerside who may need a bit more support during the Christmas season. “Each year we see the need, and each year we want to help with it. It’s the best feeling in the world when we do.”
Usually, through the Reindeer Run, the Christmas concert, and small-scale activities within the school, they raise about $3,000.
In recent years, the weather has made the turnout for the Reindeer Run hard to predict. And Noonan Gallant wants to see a larger number of students begin to participate in the activity.
“With the Reindeer Run, not all kids could run it and sometimes the weather made it difficult too.
But with the Santa Skate and an indoor facility, it might make it easier for people to come out and join the fun.”
She added with a laugh, “I also think skating in the rink with the Western Capitals who will be on the ice with the kids, is in the kids’ wheelhouse right now.”
The Santa Skate will take place on Dec. 3 from 9 to 10 a.m. at Credit Union Place. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.