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A jewel of an effort
Ottawa teenager behind funding of breakfast program in Coral Harbour

Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, November 19, 2014

OTTAWA/CORAL HARBOUR
A high school graduate from Ottawa, Ont., is proving one person can, in fact, make a difference.

NNSL photo/graphic

High school graduate Eva von Jagow of Ottawa began funding a breakfast program for Sakku School in Coral Harbour this past year through an All That Glam jewelry sale. - photo courtesy Karen von Jagow

Eva von Jagow was finishing her final year of high school when she decided to hold a jewelry show and donate the funds to a Nunavut school.

Working with the Breakfast Club of Canada, she sought its advice on where to send the funds and was told they would be best spent in Coral Harbour.

The All That Glam sale and a smaller event raised $10,000, which was matched by Canadian Pacific, and the breakfast program at Sakku School was born.

Von Jagow said she spoke with the former Sakku principal a number of times to see how the breakfast program was going.

She said it warmed her heart to hear how well her efforts were being received by the youth of the community.

"When we spoke about the program and its benefits, he was just over the moon about it," said von Jagow. "We have another sale coming up on Nov. 29, and the funds we raise from that will go towards the continued support of the Sakku program. There's no point in doing this kind of sale once because you can't provide kids with a hot breakfast for a year and then just leave.

"You have to make the sale an annual event so you're there to support them continuously."

Von Jagow, 18, had planned to start university this year, but decided to take a year off to travel and work more on the fundraiser.

She said people are really responding to the gently-used jewelry and handbag sale, and this year's event promises to be bigger than its predecessor.

"We learned a bit about Nunavut culture in our classroom, and I found myself getting very into it.

"I would do my own research at home and, once I found out about the cost of food and the overall state of nutrition resulting from that cost, I got more and more interested. It wasn't a school project, by any means, but the idea started in school because that's where I first learned about it.

"So, I created the fundraiser and it's gone from there."

Von Jagow said she was stunned to learn how high the cost of food is in Nunavut.

She said before her 2013 sale, she had no idea the situation was so bad.

"When I tell people here about it, they're shocked.

"People are unaware of the issue, but, once they find out about it, they want to help.

"People have been so, so kind with this, especially my mom, who has been amazing, and she's also helped a lot with looking at schools I might attend in the coming year.

"I never really pictured the sale getting this big, and I could never have done it on my own without the seven-to-10-person committee I have helping me out."

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