Leaside’s CGS will honour Ugandan moms on Mother’s Day

This is the third in a series of stories about Leaside’s Children’s Garden School by the South Bayview Bulldog 

Among the exciting opportunities established for students at Children’s Garden School is the chance to help in the philanthropic work done for Ugandan children through the charity Children of Hope Uganda. CGS Co-Founder and Principal Marie Bates created The Principal’s Club to give students an introduction to this and other such selfless giving. The Club is a structure within which children learn the meaning of philanthropy and see first hand how small things can make a very big difference.  Throughout the year the students work on a number of projects, generally making things with their own hands to sell and generate funds for the chosen charity. 

The Principal’s Club has helped a number of charities over the years but since 2012 it has maintained a strong partnership with Children of Hope Uganda. Through their hard work and dedication, CGS students have raised enough money to create a playground and equip classrooms with furniture and supplies for their Ugandan counterparts. Through their Principal’s Club experiences, students are encouraged to think outside of themselves and realize that it is part of our humanity to help those less fortunate and more vulnerable than ourselves. The exercise has been a great success and critically forms a moral framework students may take with them into adulthood. 

Club members have been busy thinking about the children in Barlonyo, Uganda for many months now and they wanted to extend their thoughts to the mothers there as well. The Club decided that, instead of the usual separate classroom events for CGS moms, there would be one Mother’s Day Tea and that they would ask CGS moms to donate a colourful scarf for the Ugandan moms. These scarves are deeply valued by Ugandan women for head covering, to carry food and transport babies. The Principal’s Club is making decorations and preparing for the tea over the next few weeks. Everyone is now looking forward to tea, strawberry shortcake and the celebration of motherhood on Friday, May 8, 2015. A final fund-raising event this year for Children of Hope Uganda will be the CGS Lemonade and Cookie Sale in June. The Director of Admission is Kelly Scott who may be contacted at kscott@cgsschool.com and (416) 423-5017 x 43.  The CGS website is here.