Starting from Jan. 28, the third edition of the local Donut Challenge will sprinkle kindness and spread sweetness to raise $10,000 for local charities, said organizers at the launch at Sobeys on Thursday, Jan. 18.
The Lloydminster Rescue Squad has been one of the recipients for the last couple of years and Chief Norm Namur was one of the painters on board with the school kids as they painted donuts onto the Sobeys’ grocery windows.
“It’s always a pleasure working with paint and the kids at Mother Teresa. We are glad that we can be here and participate with the children. Last year we got money from the challenge and are always grateful for anything. I challenge all the businesses in town to purchase five or six dozen,” said Namur, who says they will be doing a demonstration of the rescue equipment and gear for the kids on Jan. 25, as they share about the work of the Rescue Squad.
Michelle Rusteika with Sobeys Lloydminster, who is also the vice chair with Lloydminster Catholic School Division says they sold some 11,000 donuts last year as local businesses challenged each other to outdo the sweet generosity for local charities. She adds over the three weeks of the challenge she becomes the chief donut dipper and the kids with the Lloydminster Catholic schools come in to help make the donuts. She notes it’s all about building community.
“The community has supported this whole-heartedly over the last two years and I fully expect they will again, so I thank everyone,” says Rustieka as she urged businesses to call ahead to book, especially with large orders as the donuts have been known to fly off the shelf with the high demand.
Paige Kindopp, grade one teacher at Mother Teresa spearheads the Donut Challenge and is soon to be joining the board of the Rescue Squad. She shares that when the various organizations come to the school to promote their work, it builds that community knowledge for the kids who then choose the non-profits to receive the money raised from the donut sales.
“The awareness that the students learn about the local organizations is really cool. The kids have a better understanding of different organizations and what that organization is.”
Mother Teresa will hold its local organization awareness fair on Jan. 25 at which several groups will make their pitch about what they do in the community. Then the kids will get to decide where the money goes. But for now, it’s all about the Donut Challenge.
Groups to benefit last year included Lloydminster Rescue Squad, Border Paws Animal Shelter, Furbabies Furever Homes, and KidSport.
