Volunteerism
Story appeared in the 2014 issue of QMS Connections Magazine.
BY CELINA MASON, DIRECTOR OF RESIDENCE & STUDENT SUPPORT
Profiles of QMS volunteers today.
“The constant striving of everyone working for the good of others.”
Kirsty Grant
As a QMS Alumna (Class of ’85) and parent of two current QMS students, I feel strongly about giving back through various volunteer opportu-nities presented at QMS. For the past three years, I have held an active role in the Annual QMS Christ-mas Bazaar, as well as the Spring Fundraiser and various PA and OOMA projects. The team building that is achieved when the QMS stu-dents, staff, parents, and alumni work together to achieve community goals is a success in itself. QMS was built with a culture of volunteerism and hard work, and I am proud to be able to continue this tradition.
Jennifer Pelton
QMS has a wonderful history of tra-dition and values, and I feel strongly about supporting this school which inspires excellence in academics, leadership and character within its students. Through my volunteerism as an executive member of the QMS Board of Governors and the PA, I am able to be an active part of the QMS community and positively contribute to the school’s objective to provide students with a challenging and enriched educational experience.
The QMS Chapel is a perfect example of the dedication QMS has seen throughout the years. Its construction in 1933 was financed entirely by dona-tions and entertainments, with “small sums coming in from parents, Old Girls and friends, as well as from the children who earned money by cleaning windows, weeding, and rak-ing gravel, and in many other ways.” (pg. 52) Cowichan Valley citizens like Mr. Carleton Stone, founder of Hill-crest Lumber Co., donated “the wood for choir stalls, the iron work on the doors, the chandeliers, lanterns and brackets, the man’s time for helping to install, together with his services…” (pg. 56) In recent years, the structural upgrades of the chapel and restoration of the chapel windows were funded by donations from the Grad Class of ’63 and other Old Girls.
Partnering with parents
Volunteers at QMS help the school deliver meaningful experiences to our students.
In 2013-14, the QMS Parents’ Association pursued a deliberate fundraising strategy of providing parents and supporters with a way to support the school by purchasing items through the PA that they would usually buy elsewhere: Thrifty’s Smile Cards, Mabel’s Labels for the beginning of school, pumpkins in October, poinsettias in November, Christmas trees in December, and hanging baskets in May. Combined with the annual Bazaar in November and two popular Dinner & A Movie nights, the QMS PA raised over $30,000 for the school, which was put towards scholarships and book prizes, new jumps and a Skype station for the Equestrian Centre, new singlets for the QMS Royals athletic teams, an industrial sized stand-mixer for Residence, library books for the Junior and Senior School libraries, and the new playground and fitness equipment. Parent Association President Mary Harrison promises that 2014-15 is shaping up to be another exciting and successful year of fundraising, with the introduction of bulb sales in September and January for beautiful garden blooms.
Stephanie Gibbs and Jo Bailey were the winners of the first QMS Community Link Award, handed out on Speech Day 2014. Established this year, the QMS Community Link Award program thanks and honor those who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service for Queen Margaret’s School. Recipients are nominated by the QMS community.
The Bourbon Street Bash – A Night in New Orleans
This year’s annual spring fundraiser was a night to remember, raising $37,600 for new playground and fitness equipment for the school through the live and silent auctions. Over 225 attendees let the good times roll for QMS…and had a great time doing so!