Roxanna Thompson
Northern News Services

Fort Providence (Jan 27/06) - With people cutting tomatoes, shredding lettuce, grating cheese and cooking ground beef, the kitchen in Deh Gah school was a hive of activity on Jan. 20.

Leonie Sabourin cuts tomatoes for a taco lunch used as a fundraiser for students at Deh Gah school. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

Working as a well oiled machine, five women prepared enough tacos to feed a long line of hungry students and teachers.

Lunchtime scenes like this one happen every Friday at the school when five dollars will buy you a good meal. The lunches are just one part of a master plan.

If there's one thing the staff, students and parents of Deh Gah school do well, it's fundraise - and lunches are just one way of doing it.

Since October, work has been ongoing to gather $23,000 to send the 10 senior high students to a youth conference in Vancouver this March. The trip will include a visit to East Hastings, the drug infested area of the city.

Another approximately $30,000 is needed by June to send the junior high class to the Bamfield Marine Science Centre on Vancouver Island.

Margaret Thom, who is leading the fundraising efforts for these trips, is undaunted by the size of the task. She's had a lot of experience. Thom simply describes the length of time she's been fundraising as "a long time."

One of the keys to successful fundraising that Thom has working in her favour is a dedicated team of parents.

"Once they know what they're supposed to do and have clear directions, they just go," she said.

Dedicated students are also important. Thom said some of the students at the school have been raising money for so long, it's just a part of their lives.

The generosity of the people of Fort Providence is also crucial.

"If it's for the students, we get support," said Thom.

If you need to fundraise, it's the routine events that bring in the most money, said Thom. Luncheons, popcorn sales, cakewalks, bottle drives and catering are popular choices.

For every trip, the school raises as much as they can - at least 70 to 80 per cent of the cost. They only ask for donations at the end if they are short, said Thom.

Fundraising is a full-time effort. Events will continue every week until the trips depart.

Calendars are used to keep track of all the events. On Jan. 20 volunteers ran the luncheon at the school, provided snacks for the candidates' forum, and ran a canteen at both the bingo and the volleyball tournament.

"It's just crazy," said Joyce Villeneuve, who took the lead role for the taco lunch.

"You have to be on the ball all the time."