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Aldergrove students bake cookies for children’s hospice care at Canuck Place

Aldergrove credit union will sell hundreds of student’s homemade cookies Thursday
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After two days worth of baking by four grades at two different Aldergrove schools, on Thursday, the simple purchase of a cookie at the Aldergrove Credit Union will go a long way.

The credit union has teamed up with Aldergrove Community Secondary and Betty Gilbert Middle school students to bake for its second Canuck Place Cookie Day fundraiser.

Proceeds from every cookie bought Thursday, Feb. 27, will go towards Canuck Place Children’s Hospice – specifically the David Lede House in Abbotsford – which will receive funds in its continued efforts to provide free end-of-life care for B.C. kids and their families.

Last year, Canuck Place provided stays to 765 families, 23 of which live in Langley. And the Cookie Day initiative, with 46 other schools, raised over $20,000 for their cause.

Being the ACU’s second fundraiser, it is also the second Cookie Day collaboration between the credit union and the Aldergrove schools.

Alicia Kear’s home economics class took on the cookie challenge during all Tuesday and Wednesday blocks at ACSS with Grades 7 to 10 taking part – with a result of more than 900 cookies.

It’s to help raise money for “an incredibly important cause,” related ACSS coordinator Susan Hunt.

Tuesday morning, Betty Gilbert’s Grade 8 students tackled gingersnap recipes. Among them, Betty Gilbert Middle School students Will White, David Hoang, and Landreu Lugtu baked up a storm.

Older grades will bake more unique creations, Kear said, including red velvet and gluten-free varieties that will be for sale at the ACU’s five branches.

“It’s got them thinking about cooking for an audience,” the teacher said, “and how that shapes the recipes they chose.”

Also taking part in the event is Tracycakes Bakery Café in Langley City, which will donate chocolate chip cookie proceeds Thursday, along with Douglas Park and Fort Langley Elementary students.

Canuck Place a haven for families, too

Canuck Place coordinator Chantelle Bowles is ecstatic about the group’s continued effort to fundraise for their kids.

“It is so heartwarming to have our children and families embraced by the place I call home,” Bowles continued.

“Here, families come in and have a break from being everything for their child. It gives them more time to foster that parental connection.”

Children living with life-threatening illnesses receive care through outpatient programs and two inpatient hospice locations with 13 patient beds and eight family suites in Vancouver and Abbotsford.

In the midst of receiving pain and symptom management and clinical care, kids are also able take part in recreational opportunities like exciting out trips to locations including Whistler for sit-skiing activities.

The average length of stay for a child with the Canuck Place program is seven years, Bowles elaborated.

This round-the-clock care requires a dedicated team of over 400 volunteers and continued generosity in the form of local fundraisers such as Cookie Day.

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Grade 8 student Summer Morgan made cookies at ACSS that will be sold on Thursday at the credit union. (Sarah Grochowski photo)