Posted by Ellen on July 03, 2003 at 07:55:50:
Best feet forward -- Students from Banting Memorial High School recently took part in a fundraising walk-a-thon for the Canadian Diabetes Association. The students managed to raise more than $16,000. (Submitted photo)
Banting students pound the pavement for diabetes research
Jason Ballantyne
Jul. 2, 2003
Chad Glozier had a personal motivation to raise money for a recent diabetes fundraiser.
The Grade 12 student at Banting Memorial High School has an aunt and a cousin with diabetes.
Glozier, along with about 500 other students at the school named after the co-discoverer of insulin, Sir Frederick Banting, put their best feet forward to raise money for diabetes research in a walk-a-thon.
"My teacher gave me the form and at first I though you just threw in $5. But she told me we had to collect the money," Glozier said.
His father Rob, president of the Alliston and District Chamber of Commerce, was collecting money for another fundraiser, so the two got in a bit of a competition.
Chad took whatever time he had left after his job at Giant Tiger and went door to door, collecting more than $600 in the bargain, tops for an individual at the school
The event was planned as a small scale fundraiser, said principal John Fallis. However, as more students and staff got on board, the event took on a life of its own. Soon students were challenging other students, staff members other staff members and the money started to pour in.
Before it was all said and done, more than $16,000 was collected, with one class alone raising over $1,600 in pledges.
Liz McClean, a part-time teacher at the school, and Joy Cantle-Jones from the Canadian Diabetes Association, organized the fundraiser.
Fallis said he wanted to thank the community for its part in the event -- the monetary donations.
And he said the students should be especially proud of their achievement.
Dr. Banting would surely agree.