Last year, as a grade 12 student, I organized a charity sale called ALL THAT GLAM, a sale of gently-used jewelry and handbags to raise money for school breakfast programs in Nunavut.
The event was a resounding success, raising nearly $10,000. That amount was matched by Canadian Pacific which meant that a much-needed school breakfast program in Coral Harbor, Nunavut could be established and funded for two years. But breakfast programs need continual funding, and so I decided the fundraiser had to be an annual event.
This year’s sale will take place at the Richcraft Recreation Complex in Kanata on Saturday, November 29th from 8:00 a.m – 1:00 p.m. There will be thousands of pieces of gently-used jewelry and handbags. The sale is a great opportunity to purchase socially-responsible Christmas gifts as well as bling for the office Christmas party.
While doing some research about Nunavut for a school project, I came across the harsh reality of nutrition in our Far North. I was shocked to see a photo of a jar of peanut butter in a Nunavut supermarket costing $18.99! Even with federal shipping subsidies, a head of cabbage can cost over $20. A 3-litre container of orange juice is typically $9. In the winter months especially, fresh fruit and vegetables are exorbitantly priced and of poor quality. All this means that many Nunavut children start off their school day with poor nutrition. In Canada, a country that is hailed as having one of the highest standards of living, no child should be going to school hungry or malnourished.
I wanted to do something, and I wanted to start with children having a healthy breakfast. I contacted the Breakfast Club of Canada, told them my idea about raising money for the North, and they agreed to help me direct the money from my fundraiser to specific Nunavut schools. So then I needed to come up with a way to raise money.
That idea came to me last summer while helping my mom clean out her closet and jewelry box. We both agreed she had too much of everything. She told me that, like most women, she wore the same 10-20 pieces of jewelry and used the same five handbags most of the time. That’s when I thought – women donate their clothes all the time, why not their jewelry? This idea became the answer to how I would raise money for Nunavut.
People are asking me how they can help. Please donate. We all have more jewelry and handbags than we need, so consider donating those items to the sale. Until November 15th, donations can be dropped off at various locations throughout the city: at any of the seven Dymon Storage stores located across the Ottawa area, TD branches in Stittsville, the World Exchange Plaza and Pretoria Avenue; as well as TD Direct Investment Centres in Kanata Centrum, Emerald Plaza Nepean and at the World Exchange Plaza. The All That Glam committee thanks Dymon and TD for acting as drop-off locations.
You can also help by coming to the sale – or telling your friends about All That Glam. Last year, one woman said to me “This is a woman’s wonderland, especially just before Christmas”.
If you have any questions you can always contact me at allthatglamsale@gmail.com or follow us on FaceBook.
