Period Products for Ukraine

 

When it came time to consider a project with international implications, E.L. Crossley Secondary School’s Interact Club decided to focus on a little-known life-saving item: period products.

 

Working in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Fonthill, the Interact Club focused their global initiative on supporting communities in Ukraine by fundraising for menstrual products—items that are urgently needed but often overlooked. Menstrual products are essential not only for daily hygiene but also for emergency medical use. In crisis situations, items such as tampons and pads are used as improvised medical supplies – tampons to help manage bullet wounds, pads as bandages, and even frozen pads as makeshift ice packs.

These products save lives in more ways than one. Students in the club were passionate about addressing this global issue and chose to work closely with St. John The Theologian Ukrainian Catholic Church, whose volunteers are organizing a shipping container to deliver supplies directly to communities in need.  Club members kicked off the drive by having Chrystyna Tymczyszyn, parish coordinator at St. John’s, speak about the work done so far to collect and send shipments to Ukraine. This helped the students more fully understand and appreciate the need.

 

Students from the Club campaigned door to door to raise awareness and gain sponsorships, resulting in more than $800 in cash donations and bringing in dozens of physical products. The Rotary Club of Fonthill jumped at the opportunity to support the student-led fundraiser, raising an additional $700 for a grand total of $1,500 in cash and products.

 

“The fundraiser was a huge success for both raising awareness and in gathering donations to continue this vital work for Ukraine,” noted Ann Harrison, Rotary Club member and liaison with the Interact Club.

 

The Interact club would like to say a huge thank you to all students, families and community members who contributed. An extra thanks goes out to Zenia Winnicki of Family Health Pharmacy Pelham – PharmaChoice, for her support procuring products at a great price, as well as donating wound care kits.  An expression of gratitude also goes to Shoppers Drug Mart in Fonthill for placing a special order for extra tampons at a discount price.