By KATH GANNAWAY
MONEY has changed hands at Upper Yarra Secondary College … but it’s all good.
In what may at first glance seem an unusual reversal of fortune, local breast cancer support group, Yarra Valley Ladies in Pink, presented the UYSC Student Representative Council with a cheque for $200 during a ‘Pink Day’ fund-raiser at the school in May.
YVLP president Judith McGrath said the donation was an opportunity for them to invest in a partnership with the school that could reap wonderful mutual benefits.
Representatives from each year level are part of the SRC which had been looking for a local organisation to support.
“We wanted money we raised to stay in the local community, and we wanted the community to be able to see what sort of difference the efforts of the students at Upper Yarra could make as opposed to raising money for a large organisation where the money could get lost,” SRC president Jack Jenkinson said.
The groups met to learn more about what the ladies do and to discuss how the students could help on an ongoing basis.
The result was that the school would set up its own account, starting with the proceeds of the fund-raising day and the $200 donation.
Funds would be used to directly assist families within the school community in need of the type of help the YVLP usually provides, including a respite house in Powelltown.
SRC member, Tatum Summers said the Pink Day also raised awareness among the students of breast cancer and the work Ladies in Pink do.
”I don’t think that students here are especially aware of it, but there have been people at the school affected by breast cancer, including school friends, family and relatives,” Tatum said.
Pink Day was the first fund-raiser with students donating a gold coin for the privilege of wearing pink.
Students and teachers also dug deep for lolly bags, cupcakes and fruit skewers.
Ms McGrath said it was a wonderful start to an exciting partnership.
“We know there are students in the school struggling with parents with cancer, and if we can help by giving support, and they, in turn, are helping us a great deal by doing things like cooking meals for the respite house, then it is very exciting,” she said.
Jack said the SRC was proud of what they had achieved.
“The support from the Upper Yarra Secondary College community was fantastic and made for a very successful day,” he said.
“The relationship with the Yarra Valley Ladies In Pink has already begun to move forward with the SRC planning a re-design of their brochures.”
Other initiatives in the pipeline include preparing meals for families needing support, and for the YVLP respite house, and working bees at the house.
