May is normally the month associated with flowers after April showers subside. But in Canada, April is an important time for one particular flower: the daffodil.
April is Daffodil Month, also known as Cancer Awareness Month in Canada. The campaign aims to help people with cancer by raising money for life-saving research, information and support services.
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Evergreen College’s Developmental Service Worker students wanted to contribute to the cause through a donation made to the charity organizing the campaign, the Canadian Cancer Society, so they set up their own daffodil-themed cafe right on campus.
From that event alone students have raised $150 for the society, with more donations coming in over the coming weeks.
The cafe sold home-made delicacies that reflected the diverse cultural background of Evergreen College’s students. Instructors and other students from the college were treated to Ethiopian spaghetti, various sandwiches and sweet treats.
The students chose to run a cafe because they believed it could raise more funds than selling flowers alone. “The number of people in the college is small, so we wouldn’t get that much profit from selling daffodil pins” says Betche. The students still wanted to nod to the flower of the month however and so called their enterprise “Daffodilian Cafe”.
“It was hard work organizing the event” admits one of the event co-ordinators, Betche Me, “But it was a great cause and everyone was very co-operative.”
As well as raising money, an important aspect of the fundraiser was for the Developmental Service Worker students to implement what they had learned in class. The fundraising model, including deciding on the products to sell, developing an advertising strategy and materials and running the event, was based off a module the students completed as part of their course earlier in the year.
But more than that, it gave students the chance to show their caring and sociable sides, which is a key trait needed in a successful developmental service worker. “It connects with our programme, that is, connecting with people and helping those people who are suffering,” says Betche.
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Their hard work paid off, with many instructors and students providing positive feedback after the cafe event.
Betche is grateful to those who donated, particularly the students who are on a tight budget but prepared food or donated anyway because they saw how valuable the cause is. The Canadian Cancer Society is a national, community-based volunteer organization that relies on donations to enhance the quality of life of people living with cancer.
Students and staff are supporting and giving their money to the people who need it most. We appreciate everyone who lent a hand.”