**this write up submitted by Shelley Peeler, Early Childhood Educator – Small World Learning Centre**

In early November, while Small World Learning student Elliott Ernst was gathering materials to do artwork, he told me that he helped his grandmother make crafts to sell and that they donated the money to the hospital. I was touched by this and talked to my group about doing a fundraiser, donating money, and where would they like to donate it.

We chose to give to the Health Services Foundation of the South Shore and set to work right away, doing crafts and baking.

The children worked almost every day at this project and grew more excited as time went on baking lots of goodies, including oatmeal bars, chocolate zucchini muffins, cherry balls, whipped shortbreads, cranberry sauce, gum drop cookies and mud pies.

There were also lavender bath salts prepared with lavender from our gardens, ornaments created with materials the children chose from the art room, water globes, homemade wrapping paper, cards, garlands from oranges and cranberries that the children dehydrated, beautiful centerpieces and candles created with forest collections.

By December the children were over the top excited, they made up a sign to advertise, and price lists.

We invited families and children from the other rooms. The children helped set it out the day before, and the tables and display areas were full of a diverse variety of items for the sale.

Students Elliott, Morley, Emme, and Adelyn took turns at the cash box, adding up, making change, and taking IOUs to collect. The room was buzzing with chatter and decisions had to be made.

It was also a learning opportunity for students. Luke wanted the chocolate cookies and the whipped shortbread cookies, and said, “I only have $5.00 and that is $5.50. He put them aside and thought for a long time scanning the table and thinking how he could figure out this dilemma. He knew the chocolate cookies were keepers for $2.50, but he had to decide on selecting the cherry balls, a second choice, reluctantly putting the shortbread cookies back, he realized the value of his money and problem-solved accordingly.

The next day was a big day to find out the total. No one guessed high enough, and when all was tallied, a grand total of $511.25 was revealed to everyone’s surprise and delight. The feedback and support were just so tremendous from everyone who took part!

A few days later there was request from a parent who wanted to purchase any lavender bath salts that may be left over. There were none left, so Project Bath Salts was put in place for the next week to take and make orders! We made 12 more bringing our total to $523.25, which we gladly donated to the Foundation’s Brighter Days capital campaign, supporting the redevelopment of South Shore Regional Hospital.

What a wonderful project for all the children to take part in contributing to their community and gaining skills in responsibility, care, creativity, well-being, support, and entrepreneurship, to name a few. And there has already been talk of planning ahead for another fundraiser for our community next year!