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The 63 students and 10 staff members at Bert Church High School who participated in the Wake-a-thon, April 27, pose for a group photo during the event in the school's gym. The Wake-a-thon raised close to $6,000 for the Children's Hospital in Calgary.

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Bert Church students stay awake for sick kids

It took them awhile to get caught up on their Zs, but for the Bert Church students who organized a Wake-a-thon at their school, April 27, going sleepless for one night really paid off.

“It brought us together as a school,” said Brooke Penney, a Grade 10 Bert Church student who helped organize the Wake-a-thon.

The 63 students who participated gathered at Bert Church and went sleepless for the entire night to raise funds for the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary. With a minimum required donation of $30 from each student, the Wake-a-thon brought in more than $5,700 dollars, according to Bert Church principal, Pam Davidson.

Penney, along with fellow organizers Megan Rolfe and Erin Hunter, also students at the school, said they chose the Children’s Hospital because George McDougall does the Ride for Cancer fundraiser annually.

Penney said the Rocky View Leadership Academy, which she, Rolfe and Hunter are members of, includes several students from George McDougall.

She added the organization was supportive, encouraging Bert Church to have an annual fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital.

“We hope in the coming years it will be even more successful and bring more funds for the Children’s Hospital,” said Hunter.

Davidson said the school has now made it a goal to host an annual fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital and that the 10 teachers who supervised the Wake-a-thon event helped make it a resounding success.

Davidson said the students danced, played video games, did a scavenger hunt and participated in “strategically-timed snack breaks” to stay awake.