St Patrick’s Lochinvar Adopt a Farmer

Students at St Patrick’s Primary School, Lochinvar had a lot of fun raising funds for the Adopt a Farmer campaign with a whole-of-school boot scoot.

Students dressed as farmers, they listened to stories about drought and they completed an empathy-building task that had them consider what it would be like to experience a drought. In the afternoon, the school got out their dancing shoes for the boot scoot.

This is the second time St Patrick’s students have lent a helping hand to farmers suffering the effects of drought. During Term 1, the Student Representative Council raised funds by selling Zooper-Doopers twice a week and by collecting empty plastic bottles and poppers that were deposited in the Return & Earn facilities.

Thanks to the school’s efforts over the last two terms, St Patrick’s has raised $1,083.95 so far for farmers in need, with the aim of raising $2,000 by the year's end.

The Adopt a Farmer campaign, being run by the Daily Telegraph, gives students the opportunity to learn about the impact of both droughts and floods, the various issues facing farming communities and why it is important for everyone to support them. The campaign also allows students to write directly to the farmers they are supporting to inspire them to keep going and not lose hope.

“The Adopt a Farmer event was a great success and it was wonderful to see the St Patrick's community come together to support such a worthy cause,” said Amber Wilkinson, Primary Co-ordinator at St Patrick’s.

“The idea behind having a community project is for the students to develop an understanding that 'together we can make a difference'.

“Today we made a difference to eight families who have struggled through this relentless drought.

“I feel so blessed to be a part of such a wonderful school community, and I am exceptionally proud of all we have accomplished today.”

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