Creekers one and all.........

You gotta love a school whose mascot is a little green frog. Garden Creek School has been home to my family for a running total of 10 years, and this is the last. However, the motto of the school is "Once a Creeker, Always a Creeker...." and it's true. This fact caught me off guard on Saturday while chatting with a teacher who retired a couple of years ago, but always returns every year to support the fundraising activities. It kind of hit me.........all the hours and moments spent under that roof happily taking in concerts, assemblies, sports events, home and school meetings, fundraisers......they all seemed to rush me at the same time. Many new friends made........many faces of little ones who have grown up only to return, like the retired teacher at this time every year......

For the past 10 years, I have been involved in some part of the annual Christmas Bazaar, including coordinating the whole shebang 4 times. I've also been President of the Home and School Committee 3 times as well. It was what I chose to focus on with my volunteering time while my children attended the school. And, it has been very rewarding.....challenging personally in some ways, and affirming in other ways. My motivation initially was to be around to support my daughter when she was a very shy 5 year old starting out. I thought if I could be able to pop into the school while organizing some kind of event, it would make her feel special and supported.

It evolved from there..........to the point where Martha co-coordinated the Christmas Bazaar with me two years ago when she was in Grade 7 and had moved on. Martha, by the way, hasn't missed one Bazaar since Kindergarten and in fact ran the Santa's gift shop again this year, which she and I stocked with little gifties all wrapped in sparkle and ribbon. And this year, we were all doing our part volunteering, though I have taken a backseat on both fronts and passed the coordinating and Home and School batons on to others. The time was right......it's time to look for new places to volunteer.

Every year, Martha and I have made theme baskets to be raffled off at the end of the Bazaar. These theme baskets have become a big hit, partly because of the sense of community they represent. Each classroom chooses a theme......Jolly Snowmen, Christmas Ornaments, Heavenly Chocolate, Christmas Joy to name a few. Then each child/family brings in one small item for their basket. Once it is all collected........it ALL comes to my house where 15 baskets are organized, wrapped and adorned........ Tickets are sold on Bazaar day, which is a 2 hour frenzy, and the winners are announced right then and there. The first one to go this year was the Chocolate basket to a Creeker kid in Grade 5. His eyes were as wide as saucers when he came up to the stage to pick up his loot. I loved seeing his face!

The Bazaar has been running every year for close to 40 years, a definate tradition around these parts. The teachers, like these lovely beautiful ladies, are very much involved in the run up to the big day as well as the day of......making crafts, baked goods, selling raffle tickets, collecting the wreath order money etc, etc............

And in the end............we made close to $15, 000.00 this year!! All of this money goes back into the school activities to enhance and support our Creeker kids and staff. Extra field trips, new musical instruments, more library books, supplies for the classrooms, sonic ear systems for easier listening and teaching, gym equipment, guest speakers and teachers, good deed prizes, etc, etc............have all been purchased with the money raised every year. Amazing, really. This year? We're focusing on new sound and lighting systems for a very successful drama program that is run exclusively by two very keen teachers, one of whom wrote the play which will be excitedly performed in the spring.

On Saturday, as I looked around, I could see my own family milling around with other families. I could see the little faces who have grown up and the new little ones whom I won't have a chance to get to know. I felt an unbelievable amount of satisfaction knowing that the time and effort..............done with love...........has all been well worth it. I feel like I have made a difference at Garden Creek School........and along the way, I sure made some wonderful friends.

All for the sake of a little green frog.