Stephanie McDonald
Northern News Services
Monday, July 16, 2007

IQALUIT - Meeka Kilabuk stood across from Northmart on Monday, beckoning passersby to the site of what will be the new iglu-shaped Anglican cathedral.

Meeka Kilabuk calls out to passing pedestrians, encouraging them to donate a loonie or two and to watch as the loonies snake around the outline of the future iglu-shaped cathedral in Iqaluit. - Stephanie McDonald/NNSL photo

"Donate a loonie. We're building a new church. Your donations will help," Kilabuk called through a loudspeaker slung over her shoulder.

It was the Great Loonie Challenge, a fundraiser for St. Jude's Anglican Cathedral where people could donate loonies and watch as they were stretched around the circumference of what will be the new church. The original building fell victim to arson in 2005 and fundraising efforts to build a new church have been ongoing since then.

Organizer Michele Ashby, who, along with her husband, had painted the outline of the cathedral in front of the parish hall, was attaching loonies to tape, while interested people stopped by to donate a few dollars.

"I've seen or heard of it being done down south and thought it was something different," Ashby said of the idea.

The fundraising committee received donations of one loonie from children to sizeable donations, some anonymous.

"We've been inundated with wonderful donations," Ashby said.

A member of St. Jude's had estimated that it would take 3,300 loonies to make it around the circumference of the church, and only an hour into the fundraiser, thanks in part to early donations, there had already been $2,000 in loonies collected.

The committee had 4,000 of the dollar coins on hand, prepared to convert larger bills and toonies into loonies.

By the end of day the rebuilding committee had raised $4,765, an amount which stretched one and a third times around the painted outline of the church.

The highest individual donation was $1,000 by a donor who wanted to remain anonymous.

"My goodness, they're wonderful," Ashby said. "When I told them that their gift is a $200 gift certificate to Northmart they then turned around and said they wanted that money to go to the food bank."

There was a tie for the largest donation by a corporate donor, with the prize going to Coman Arctic Limited and the Iqaluit Fine Arts Studio. The prize is a two-hour boat ride on the Bay for six people with Jim Noble Jr.

The Great Loonie Challenge was just one of two fundraisers held by St. Jude's congregation on Nunavut Day, the other being the cathedral's second annual chili cook-off.