An online fundraiser for graduates at Liverpool Regional High School collected 50 percent more than organizers had hoped.

The LRHS Scholarship fundraiser volunteers received $33,627 in donations, blowing through the goal of $22,000 set for the class of 2022.

Scholarship fundraising committee chairperson Heather Stevens says although the annual fundraiser has been held online since the pandemic hit in 2020, they really seemed to find their stride this year.

Stevens says she and the seven parent volunteers worked together to mentor the 44 participating students.

“They were in charge of delivering letters to businesses or craftspeople or whoever they may know that may have items to donate to the auction. So it was all up to the kids to go out, introduce themselves, explain what they were there for and receive donations,” said Stevens.

Students collected 221 items that were then divided over a series of 12 online mini auctions to raise $22,742.

Stevens says organizers tried to incorporate some of the fun aspects of the annual live auction fundraiser into the online effort.

‘The one thing that the kids missed is, the kids that are on the auction would go that night and they would dress up and they would sort of be the Vanna Whites for the night and they would display the items,” said Stevens. “How we did it this year is we took photos of the grads with their items and would say a little blurb. For example, my son, this is Noah Stevens, he’s holding this donation from so and so and he’ll be going off to Dalhousie next year. We wanted the people to see where the money was going.”

In addition to the online auction the community stepped up to donate $5,925 in cash.

A challenge for LRHS alumni to donate and vote on which LRHS school they felt was better, the old one or the new one, raised $905 (the old school won).

And a pair of diamond earrings worth $1,150 donated by Reynolds Pharmasave and Pirates Cove was raffled off to raise another $4,055.

The money raised will now be turned over to the Liverpool Regional High School Scholarship Foundation.

A committee will review how many eligible students have applied for scholarships and determine how much each student will receive.

Even though the last of her three children is graduating this year, Stevens says she will likely stay on to help with the fundraiser again next year.

She says her team built on the success of last year’s volunteers and she hopes to see the legacy continue.

Reported by Ed Halverson 
E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson

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