I met Karen Wik one rainy night just over a month ago. I’d ducked into Famous Foods, the grocery store just a few minutes’ walk from my house (which, by some miraculous coincidence, is also an amazing organic/whole food market). It was a wet, miserable night, and I was a sopping mess – which made it easy to hone in on Karen’s boxes of chocolate for sale.
As I was deciding between mint chocolates and caramel melties, Karen explained that the chocolates were a fundraiser for her daughter’s school, specifically, the Earth Day celebration being planned – a Laura Secord Elementary School Tradition now in its fifth year. In addition to selling chocolates, Karen had helped to organize the event and was planning on leading some workshops. Of course, I was immediately on board, and asked her to tell me all about it.
“It is a wonderful day full of lots of learning and creating awareness about ‘caring for the environment and caring for each other’ and ‘making a difference in our world,'” Karen explains. “I love being a part of teaching kids about sustainability.”
This year, the theme is “We Can Make a Difference.” The kids will be singing a song of the same title on the front steps of East Vancouver’s Laura Secord (on the corner of Broadway and Lakewood) at 10:00 am on the day of the event (Wednesday, April 25).
The street in front of the school will be closed off and children will be introduced to Dr. Junkology, take part in Pedal Play, plant the school’s garden, make mosaics, and perhaps even get their hands dirty making seed balls.
Hanging baskets and flats of flowers will also be for sale – both on site and available to be ordered for Mother’s Day pick up. I encourage Vancouverites in the market for hanging baskets to support Laura Secord’s Earth Day – and help keep this fabulous event going for another five years!
And Karen – may I suggested that you make sure you’re on that Mother’s Day order list? I know it would be well deserved.
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