Huron carol: Gifting students
Raised more than $10,000 for mom
KITCHENER — Terri Heise is raising two children by herself on debts and a limited income, unable to fix her rusting minivan with its duct-taped seats and intermittent heat.
Still she perseveres. She feels blessed that her daughter Sophia, 10, is recovering from blood cancer, sustained in part by transplanted bone marrow.
The Cambridge mother was humbled to accept the charity of strangers Friday.
Students at Huron Heights Secondary School solicited donations from businesses to help repair her aging minivan. Every year the school raises funds for a family in need.
“You guys are amazing. I just want to thank you so much for everything that you did,” Heise told them, fighting back tears.
To help her family move past its challenges, business students overcame theirs.
They crafted speeches and knocked on doors. They learned what sells and what doesn’t. They heard ‘yes’ from businesses and they heard ‘no.’
“Sometimes it would be a little bit uncomfortable,” said Hannah Tourangeau, 17.
Rejection stings. Still they persevered.
Tourangeau helped persuade two hotels to offer free nights. She watched with delight as people bid for the nights at a silent auction. “You’re doing it for somebody else, not just for yourself,” she said. “There are so many caring people out there.”
Anmol Kalsi, 16, knocked on doors in downtown Waterloo. She learned to hone her sales pitch to reveal more about the family in need.
“Some people would start crying after hearing the story,” she said. “Everyone was really generous … I really appreciated it.”
Before a schoolwide assembly, 1,000 students presented Heise with a cheque for $10,190. It’s the most they have ever raised. They raised most of it by auctioning goods and services donated by local businesses.
But the big reveal was yet to come. Students handed Heise a gift box and asked her to open it. What was inside?
“It’s the keys to a car,” she said, her voice breaking. She had no idea. The assembly erupted.
The Dodge Caravan is five years newer than the wreck she drives. It has real seats. It has sun visors. The heat works. It’s valued at $12,350 including a full warranty for two years.
“We try to give back to the community when we can,” said Mark Ell, of Galt Chrysler.
Heise marvelled at the vehicle, parked outside the school. She turned the key. The engine purred. She raised her arms in celebration. Students cheered some more.
It will provide a far more comfortable ride for the children Heise cares for, before and after school. Sophia is keen to ride in it. She can’t safely sit up front. Cancer has delayed her growth. “I’m 10 but I’m small,” she said. But she’ll get bigger.
Heise can now pay off some debts. “I’m kind of numb,” she said, after the celebration. “These kids, they just had to go out of their comfort zone and do this. I’m so overwhelmed with that.”
Students can feel warm. They have learned something about how the world often works. Life presents challenges. Persevere. Good people will help.