Third annual Five Days for Change Fundraiser kicks off May 26

ASwift Current Comprehensive High School student-led fundraising initiative is quickly approaching its third consecutive year.

The Five Days for Change campaign is a fundraiser for the Southwest Youth Emergency Shelter during which time students at the Comp “live homeless” for five days and four nights in order to raise awareness and money for the Shelter, projected to open in the fall in Swift Current.

Phoebe Nodge is the student coordinator this year for Five Days for Change – she took over from Shawn Wiskar, who chaired the event for the past two years in Swift Current before post-secondary studies took him elsewhere in the province. Nodge says the planning for this year’s event has been ongoing for the committee since the end of January.

“We raise money through a lot of school and community events. This year, we’ve been doing more to get the school involved… we’re doing a movie night on the football field, so I think that’ll get a lot of students out. We have had a lot of help from local businesses in Swift Current too.”

The movie night on the football field is just one of many events taking place for the duration of the campaign. The schedule for the 5 Days For Change event is as follows: Tuesday, May 26: - Pancake Breakfast Kick-Off at the Comp begins at 8 a.m. – donations accepted

- Market Square BBQ and Live Music from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., (sponsored by Stark & Marsh) – burgers, veggie burgers, or hot dogs, with popcorn and a drink for a donation of any size. Live music, featuring students from the Comp and Maverick Schools, with face painting for the kids. Wednesday, May 27: - Bracelets will be sold at the track and field meet held at the Comp.

- Five Days for Changers will be preparing food at the local soup kitchen during the evening Thursday, May 28: - Movie Night and Pizza on the Football Field:Bring a blanket to sit on, and join us at nightfall (opens at 7:30 p.m.) for Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Admission is $5 and Boston Pizza slices will be sold for $2, plus popcorn, cotton candy, and drinks. (If the weather is poor, the movie will be moved inside.) Friday, May 29: - Food and Item Drive for the Salvation Army and Women’s Shelter. Students will be collecting food and item donations at the Comp all day. For each item donated, you can enter to win prizes from local busi- nesses including Martinez Massage, Dairy King, and Urban Ground.

- Students will also be taking part in a community drive during the evening. Saturday, May 30: - The final event will be at the Swift Current Indians home game at Mitchell Field at 7:05 p.m. The final cheque will be presented during the game. Donations will be accepted at the Indians vs the Moose Jaw Miller Express.

Donations to Five Days for Change campaign can be made by purchasing bracelets at the Comp and at businesses throughout the community for $2, or by pledging to any of the 13 Comp students who will be “living homeless” for the five days of the campaign (they live with no technology, no food donations, no vehicles, limited clothing and limited shelter). Donations can also be made during the Five Days For Change from May 26 to 30, by dropping off monetary donations to student participants on the front lawn of the Comp. Cheques can be made out to Southwest Youth Emergency Shelter Inc. Tax receipts will be provided for those donating $20 or more.

For more information, contact Phoebe Nodge at phoebenodgegmail.com or Teacher Advisor Kim Morrison at kmorrisonchinooksd.ca.