It was the sweet side of giving at Sacred Heart High School

(On Friday, May 9, the students, teachers and staff at Sacred Heart High School held their annual Charity Cake Auction, the largest fundraiser of the year, with several interesting cake designs entered to be auctioned off to help those in need. Photos: Sacred Heart)

On Friday, May 9th, Sacred Heart High School held their annual Charity Cake Auction to support a number of worthy charities in the Ottawa area. For teachers and students, this is the school’s most anticipated fundraiser of the year. It not only spotlights the delightful creativity of the bakers, but strongly demonstrates the collaboration and principles the school promotes throughout the school year.

Each year, students, staff, and the community unite to bake cakes to be auctioned off to homeroom classes. The homeroom that has raised the most money chooses a cake first and then the second homeroom and this continues on until all the cakes have been chosen. Every homeroom receives one of the decorated cakes.

This year, $30,296.00 was raised, with the winning homeroom bringing in over $2,300.00 in donations. The funds will go to support a variety of charitable organizations that have great influence on others in areas like health care, mental wellness, and community support. This year the money raised will support the following chosen charities:

• Brain Tumour Foundation “We’re here to help anyone affected by any type of  brain tumour.” 
• Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada  The mission of the Leukemia &  Lymphoma Society is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the  quality of life of patients and their families. 
• CN Cycle for CHEO The CN Cycle for CHEO is CHEO’s single biggest fundraising event in support of pediatric oncology care and research. 
• Cystic Fibrosis Canada The funds raised are invested in innovative research to  help Cystic Fibrosis Canada pursue the next medical breakthrough and provide the highest standard of care  for cystic fibrosis patients. 
• The Stittsville Food Bank 
• The Richmond Food Bank 
• St. Mary’s Home  Ottawa program for young pregnant women, moms, dads  & infants – we help support scholarships for grads. 
• Youth Services Bureau – Youth Mental Health provides a range of welcoming, non judgemental services for youth and their families. 
• The Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health raises funds to support the best possible patient care and leading-edge research provided by the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, the Brockville Mental Health Centre, and the uOttawa Institute of Mental Health Research.
• Kindspace is committed to providing Ottawa with accessible resources, events, social, and educational programming to celebrate and support people of all sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions.
• Operation Come Home Support Centre for homeless and at-risk youth age 16 and up. 
• Shepherds of Good Hope fosters hope and reduces harm in Ottawa by supporting people experiencing homelessness and vulnerable adults in our community through specialized services, programs and partnerships.
• Wounded Warriors Canada Honours and supports Canada’s ill and injured  Canadian Armed forces members, veterans, first responders and their families
• SchoolBOX partners with First Nations, Métis and Inuit youth leaders to ‘make education possible’ for kids in Indigenous communities across Canada, a territory with more than 634 First Nations and over 50 Indigenous languages.
• Dreams Take Flight Ottawa takes children who have endured a variety of hardships that may be medical, mental, physical or social from the National Capital Region and nearby communities on a fun-filled one day adventure to the Magic Kingdom at Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

The students at Sacred Heart truly illustrated the meaning of being good citizens while generously helping those in need and underlining the values of Sacred Heart High School.