A Halloween tradition that ended 13 years ago is back for 2019 with a new twist, and an Abbotsford school is one of the first that will take part.
Harry Sayers Elementary is among the schools participating in the campaign Halloween Heroes in support of UNICEF Canada.
Previous generations of Canadian trick-or-treaters wore orange boxes on a string around their necks and collected coins for UNICEF, raising more than $100 million in total.
The campaign ended in 2006, but the new program involves children, adults and families setting up a personal fundraising page at unicef.ca/Halloweenhero.
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Participants choose the Halloween Hero they want to be – water, education, nutrition, health (or all four) – and get family, friends and neighbours to sponsor them.
When they hit their fundraising target, they are inducted into the “Hall of Heroes” and receive a crest that they can wear – or hang on their door – on Halloween night.
Schools can also get involved by becoming Halloween Hero schools.
Participating schools are entered into a draw to win a concert by GFORCE, a musical group of five girls from the Toronto area who recently made it all the way to the quarter finals of America’s Got Talent.
For every $250 a school raises, they get an additional entry into the contest.
To donate to the Harry Sayers campaign, visit unicef.ca/halloweenheroschools, scroll down, click on “donate” and search “Harry Sayers.”
UNICEF is a humanitarian organization focused on children in more than 190 countries and territories.