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’With a heavy heart,’ Port Coquitlam grad organizers turn to businesses for help

A Port Coquitlam high school is getting creative with fundraising for its graduates, during Year 2 of the pandemic.
terry fox fundraiser
Lisa Currier with her son, Massimo, at Terry Fox secondary in Port Coquitlam.

A Port Coquitlam high school is getting creative with fundraising for its graduates, during Year 2 of the pandemic.

Last week, Terry Fox secondary launched an online shopping page on Facebook for vendors to post their wares — and proceeds from the event supporting the 380 students in the Class of 2021.

Lisa Currier, chairperson of the parent advisory council grad committee, said her group also hopes to generate cash through other businesses. Among them:

Me ’n Eds (2233 McAllister Ave., Port Coquitlam) will give 20% of its sales to the school on May 13, if “Terry Fox Grad” is mentioned in orders

Tru Earth will also give 20% of sales to the school for orders made on its Terry Fox Grad 2021 fundraising page 

Orrange Kitchen + Bar (111-1125 Nicola Ave.) and Ativo, a skincare company, will give a percentage back to the school for gift card purchases 

Currier said the money will pay for a memento for the grads to honour their milestone during the difficult year. 

“We’re doing as much as we can for their kids because we know that there’ve been a lot of hardships,” she said. “But we know the businesses are struggling, too, so we go to them with a heavy heart to ask for help.”

Currier said she feels bad for the Terry Fox graduates, who won’t have their usual convocation ceremony or dinner-and-dance farewell party.

When she graduated from high school in northern B.C., Currier said MTV drove across the country to film their festivities. Now, “I’m promising our graduates that I will give them the best 10-year reunion.”