Yellowknife (Oct 10/03) - It's almost time for Halloween, when kids hit the streets to collect more candy than they can eat.

This year the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) hopes more Yellowknife students will collect money so needy children can eat.

Lydia Hill visited 11 Yellowknife schools to promote UNICEF halloween coin boxes on Tuesday. - Lisa Scott/NNSL photo

Last year, two city schools took part in the national project.

Mildred Hall Elementary and William McDonald junior high schools raised $3,000 with the orange and black coin boxes.

This year, UNICEF sent volunteer Lydia Hill from Calgary to visit 11 schools in the city to promote the project.

"Part of the mandate is not just to raise money, but to raise awareness," Hill said.

"Whether they bring a box out on Halloween or bring 10 pennies to school, they are doing their bit," she said.

The coins add up quickly.

Just 50 cents will buy school notebooks for five children; 75 cents will immunize nine against measles; $1 will buy 20 litres of clean drinking water.

Canadians have raised $81 million through UNICEF boxes in the 48 years the project has been running here.

It is so successful the the government of Canada declared Oct. 31 National UNICEF Day in 2000.

Hill gets teary when asked why she volunteers her time.

"I have three kids. I will never worry about them starving in front of my eyes. I don't take it for granted," she said.

Hill said she would like to find someone in Yellowknife to make the presentations to the schools.

Jacques Angers, principal at Ecole Alain St. Cyr, says the school will adopt the project this year. Having Hill visit students for the first time has spurred the school to join in.

At K'alemi Dene school, principal Angela James chooses fundraising programs to benefit local children, instead of national fundraisers like UNICEF.

Over at William McDonald, vice-principal Dean MacInnis plans on handing out Halloween boxes to students who request them again.

"It's a cause. Everyone know what it is, what it stands for, and is willing to give," he said.