On May 31, the Olds High School (OHS) student leadership team is hosting a pancake breakfast from 7 to 8:30 a.m. as well as carnival games and a raffle to support the nine schools who lost a student in the April 6 Humboldt Broncos tragedy.
On that day, the Broncos' bus, heading to a Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League playoff game, and a semi-trailer collided at a rural intersection about 200 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon. Sixteen people were killed and 13 injured, including Olds resident Graysen Cameron.
"We feel connected to the Humboldt tragedy through Graysen Cameron," OHS student services co-ordinator Luann Statchuk says.
Cameron graduated from OHS in 2017. She also notes the school lost Ryan McBeath, another student and top-notch hockey player in a two-vehicle collision March 13.
"For these two reasons we felt it was fitting for our student body to donate the funds to another student body who has experienced what we have."
Statchuk says all proceeds will be divided evenly among the nine schools. Each school will decide how they want to honour the student(s) they lost.
"I have spoke to Graysen and he is planning to attend the event," Statchuk says.
"This will be a family-friendly event," she adds, noting Grade 9 leadership students are hosting carnival games where participants can win tickets for a grand prize.
Participants are also encouraged to bring a pair of socks and try their luck in the sock toss.
"All socks will be donated to a homeless shelter," she says.
Plans call for the raffle to feature donated items such as gift certificates from various businesses, sports memorabilia and any other donations.
If you would like to donate an item, contact Statchuk at [email protected] or 403-556-3391 ext. 4637.
