The first step in the process was to receive the blessing of the Director and the school board authorities at the Greater Essex County District School Board. It was then decided that all the Essex Family of Schools would be involved - Essex High and her four elementary feeder schools, Maidstone, Essex Public, Gosfield, and Colchester.

Essex High staff and students sent 50 soccer balls to the students in Sierra Leone.		Cindy's son, Michael, helps put air in the soccer balls before handing them over to the kids.

Garinger established two teams - a group of interested junior high school students, and the Grade 12 Leadership class, led by an excellent teacher and motivator, Marybeth Tilson. The two groups were the driving force in the campaign and worked for weeks planning the major fundraiser - The Great Walkathon.

Maforekan students receiving the Essex High soccer balls.		Maforekan kids playing a game of soccer.

They created a powerpoint demonstration and spoke at assemblies in the feeder schools; they approached the Town of Essex for permission to close the streets for the Walkathon; and they created a public relations campaign designed to inform and include the community at large.They were in the news, on the radio and in the papers. In February they sent 50 soccer balls to their village of Maforeka with messages written to their African counterparts and received messages back.

Maforekan students say thanks.		Maidstone Central Public School Principal, Tammy Meloche kisses a pig in fundraising efforts.