We Have Our Contest Winners!
Grand Prize Winner: The entire Grade 6 art class from SML Christian Academy in Stony Plain, AB
Special thanks to their incredible teacher, Natalie Boldt, who encouraged all 26 students to participate in the colouring contest—providing a wonderful opportunity for the whole class to learn about the challenges communities in the Lake Chad region are facing. We loved seeing their brilliant works of art! Ms. Boldt also went above and beyond by helping her Grade 7 class organize a bake and craft sale, raising over $340 towards items from the Gifts from the Heart Catalogue. What an inspiring example of creativity and generosity in action!
Age Group Winners:
Ivaana - Halifax Lutheran, Halifax, NS
James - St. Peter's Lutheran, Cambridge, ON
Joelle - St. Peter Lutheran, Spruce Grove, AB
Ziga - Highwood Lutheran, Calgary, AB
Sue - St. Mark's Lutheran, Wellesley, ON
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s contest! Your beautiful entries highlighted creativity, compassion, and care for creation. We were amazed by the incredible range of participants, with entries from individuals aged 2 to 80+! Through their creativity, the winners and all the participants helped raise awareness and support for the vital work being done by farmers and families around Lake Chad to restore their ecosystem.
The Grand Prize Winner has won a $500 donation to CLWR and an exclusive prize pack! The Age Group Winners have each won a $100 donation to CLWR, as well as a prize pack! (Age groups: 0-4 years, 5-8 years, 9-12 years, 13-17 years, and 18+)
About the scene: Our Tiny Hearts scene this year was drawn by Winnipeg artist Farideh Saffari. The illustration shows some of the ways that people who live near Lake Chad are working with nature to improve life in their communities. Around Lake Chad, things have gotten very hard for farmers, and for everyone, now that their ecosystem isn’t working like it used to—because of people not caring for the earth well. The lake has gotten much smaller, plants aren’t growing well, lots of families don’t have enough food, and many people aren’t able to find jobs. But these farmers—and CLWR—believe that if they take care of nature, it will be able to take care of them. They’re farming and fishing in new ways, planting many thousands of trees, growing gardens, and working with scientists to develop seeds that can grow healthy and strong even as the land gets drier. As you colour the illustration, think about how some of the things in the picture can be healthy parts of nature. And you can read more at clwr.org/nbs!
Special thanks to Martin Luther University College for generously contributing the gifts for the winners!
