This summer, we challenged kids across Canada to Take a Stand for Wildlife. We gave Earth Rangers the tools to launch their own fundraising campaigns and collect donations to support wildlife conservation. It was incredible to see our community come together and raise money to save animals – in all kinds of creative ways! Whether you set up a lemonade stand, sold pretty handmade crafts, or got creative with chocolate chips for a bake sale, every Earth Ranger who participated made a difference for animals.
We’d like to take this moment to celebrate one very special Earth Ranger: Addison from British Columbia. Addison raised a whopping $1,007.75 to save swift foxes, an adorable animal that was, until very recently, extirpated from Canada’s prairies. (Extirpated means that a species has gone extinct in one area, but it still lives in other places.) Thanks to the hard work of conservationists, swift foxes have returned to Canada in small numbers. But they need our help in order to keep growing and thriving.
In addition to collecting donations online, Addison went from door to door in her neighborhood selling delicious homemade cookies and beautiful hand-crafted bracelets. She got a lot of no’s and some funny looks, but she didn’t give up. Her goal was to raise $500 – and she more than doubled it!
We asked Addison all about her successful campaign – keep scrolling to read all about how she persevered and raised so much money to save swift foxes! Plus, she gives her fellow Earth Rangers some great advice for making a difference and protecting animals.
What makes swift foxes special to you? Why did you choose to fundraise for them?Â
I picked the swift fox because I wanted a creature that wasn’t as commonly supported as animals like the polar bear or grizzly bear but also an animal that lived in Canada, and since I’ve always had an affinity for canines the swift fox was the perfect pick!
What was your original fundraising goal and what did you achieve?
My original fundraising goal was $500 because I felt that it was reasonable but would still significantly help the swift fox. However I ended up raising $1,007.75!
What was the hardest part about fundraising?
The hardest part about fundraising was when I went door to door, selling cookies and bracelets. I got a lot of no’s and some people gave me funny looks, but I didn’t let that stop me and because of that perseverance my bake and bracelet sale raised $150.
What part was the most fun?
I had lots of fun creating the pamphlet that I handed out when I sold my bracelets and cookies. As part of the door to door sales portion of my fundraising campaign I wanted to not only raise money but inform people about the swift fox and about Earth Rangers if they weren’t familiar with the topics.
What did you discover about yourself through this challenge?
I learned a lot about perseverance. Raising money was hard especially because during the door to door portion of my campaign I got a lot of no’s and was originally very discouraged but I stuck with it and am very proud of both myself and my results!
What advice would you give to other young people who want to fundraise but don’t know where to start?
My advice would be to think about your skills, think about what gets you excited, think about what kind of cause you or people you know would want to donate money to and then just get started. Figure things out as you go because you never know what you can accomplish until you try.