R.F. Staples student Rachelle Zadunayski, along with many of her classmates, took the opportunity last week to “Pay it Forward.”
The idea of paying it forward — doing good deeds with the intention of inspiring others to do the same — was a central message in country music singer Tenille’s Oct. 24 performance at the school.
During her stop in Westlock, the singer recognized Zadunayski for her leadership and civic-mindedness by providing $75 to help pay it forward.
After giving it some thought, Zadunayski decided the best thing to do would be to try to turn that money into even more money for local charities — and brighten people’s day in the process.
“We’re baking cupcakes, then we’re going to decorate them and put them in nice boxes,” she said. “We’ll sell them at school, and the money we raise will be split between Santa’s Anonymous and the food bank.”
She and a dozen classmates made the cupcakes on Wednesday, selling them at a bake sale at the school on Thursday. But there was a twist. The cupcakes were only sold in packs of two.
“You get two cupcakes, so the person that buys it can give it to a friend or a teacher,” she said. “They can pay it forward.”
Karen Zadunayski, Rachelle’s mother, said they talked about their options of what to do with the money and so she suggested approaching Sobeys about getting a matching donation for baking supplies.
Sobeys owner Tom Vesely did them one better, and offered to let them use the store’s baking facilities, as well. The only catch was that it could only be kids involved in the process so that they could really take ownership of what they were doing.
Following the bake sale, a total of $400 was raised for the two local charities — and many peoples’ days were undoubtedly brightened when they received a free cupcake.
Zadunayski said she thinks of all the students at R.F. Staples, she was chosen to get the $75 award at the Tenille show because of all her previous charity work. She underwent brain surgery in summer 2010, and while the experience was understandably a tough one, it inspired her to give something back.
“I painted some paintings and sold them, and I gave the money to charities like Camp Neurosurgery,” she said, referring to a kids’ summer camp at Camp He Ho Ha which is specifically geared toward children who have undergone brain surgery.
