Malcolm Gorrill
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 26/00) - The ThinkFast at St. Patrick high school is somewhat different from other fasts, an organizer says.

Sheila Hart says the event's name says it all.

"What we really like is it's a ThinkFast," Hart said.

"We try to raise awareness about issues of social justice and social injustice -- hunger, land use, unequal distribution of wealth -- both in the developing countries, as well as the Canadian situation."

On Good Friday, 21 fasting St. Pat's students raised nearly $2,500, which will be distributed among developing countries by the Canadian Catholic Association for Development and Peace.

The participants fasted for 25 hours (some began fasting Thursday evening, while others started Friday morning). For 13 hours on Friday the students took part in a variety of activities at the school, including a land game and a quiz show.

In the afternoon participants took part in Stations of the Cross.

"We do relate it to those who can make a change, and of course one who made a great change in the world was Jesus Christ," Hart said.

"We do relate social justice to his life and his passion in death."

This was the fifth or sixth annual ThinkFast, and Hart has been involved since the beginning. She said she hopes those who took part this year will endeavour to make changes.

"It might make it a little bit different when they are the rulers of the world."