By: Ayen Riak
The Environmental Club came into prominence on October 20th of 2022, launched by ambitious Central senior, Livia Erickson, with sound mentorship from a school liaison Mrs. Rattee, and a supporting cast belonging to various grades. In the advent of Miss Erickson’s club, she determined the group would promote the wellness aspects of eco-conscience living, believing an able-minded student body lobbying for environmental changes in school could manifest their efforts through hard work. And they did! The Environmental Club has seen success after pulling off a seamless first act in December–a pancake breakfast, catered to the students and staffs’ dietary needs–whether gluten or plant-based–with a variety of sweet toppings. The proceeds were in favour of Central’s student-based non-profit Toasty Toes, where funds are organized to buy winter clothing for disadvantaged members of the city of Moose Jaw, during the winter season.
A second event, demanding twice as many forces as the last, was CCI’s Eco Closet: a thrift store, which Erickson hosted in the grade 12 lounge, on Friday April 21st. Active members of the Environmental Club, the student population, and the community at large were asked to donate assorted used clothing, jewelry, and shoes to be reproduced for their sale racks. Erickson, the brainchild of the entire unit, sought the help of clothing boutiques: Cranberry Consignment and, Packed Away and Forgotten, who provided their stock for the sale as well. An Instagram page was established to showcasing the cause, the clothes, and attracting customers.
The evening of the Eco Closet, hundreds of clothes were assembled–hung on racks, or splayed and folded onto tables. Delectable homemade treats and cool beverages were sold, while brown bags and custom, eco thrift labels were distributed at checkout. As time passed on during the five ’til eight event, there were little more than a couple local teens, AP calculus kids coming from exams, and Central students with their parents, in attendance. With a flat turnout and several clothes still accounted for at the end of the night, it was a devastating outcome for the Enviornmental Club. Assembling the leftovers, bagging and storing the rest of the clothes elsewhere, the group was forced to redirect their approach to the sale and distribution of their thrift finds.
With two months left within the school year, the group must consolidate their efforts to either refine a second edition of their previous thrift sale event, donate to a local cause, or possibly leave it for the next year (when their leader has gone off to college).