Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife ( May 17/00) - Students from St. Patrick high school gave the Alison McAteer House a generous boost Monday.

The St. Pat's student council handed over a check for $3,000 to Jenifer Rigby, director for Alison McAteer House -- a Yellowknife women's shelter run by the YWCA. The money was raised out of donations to the annual Challenge Cup hockey tournament, held between St. Pat's and Sir John Franklin high school the previous winter.

"The Challenge Cup is held in November every year between the two schools," said Rabina Baksh, president of the St. Pat's student council.

"We donate money to various organizations. There was money left over from previous years for the Challenge Cup and that is being added to this year's sum of $2,000 (for a grand total of $3,000)."

According to Rigby, the school's donation couldn't have come at a better time.

"Inside the shelter we need more child care," Rigby said.

"This money will be going to hiring someone to support the children in the shelter."

"We knew that they were in need of money through Meagan Fisher (student council secretary). In the past, we've given money to the Alison McAteer House and this year we just decided to give the whole money to them.

"This raises the profile that violence is in the community and we would like to thank St. Pat's student council for giving us this donation," Rigby added.