Edward Milne Community School’s Cops for Cancer effort this year doubled not only in funds, but also in fun. Unlike past years, EMCS Leadership held not one, but two events — hitting the community and the school.

Anyone in Sooke on Sunday, Sept. 27 likely caught a glance of the Leadership class laughing and washing cars to the right of Home Hardware. The car wash/bottle drive/barbeque netted about $1,200, and would not have been possible without generous donations from A&W, Home Hardware, Village Food Markets, and Serious Coffee. The class would like to thank everyone who came out and showed their support for us, and the Tour de Rock.

On Thursday, Oct. 1, a head shave was held in the school common area at lunch. Members of the senior boy’s basketball team, a few individuals, and one gutsy girl, Samantha McLean, stepped up to have their heads shaved to raise money and show support for cancer patients. Pure Elements hair salon provided the hair-removal services yet again this year and did a great job on everyone. The combination of pledges and change collected in the crowd raised about $1,100. The entire school can be very proud of this year’s grand total of roughly $2,300.

While raising money for Cops for Cancer was the main motivation for these events they serve an additional purpose at EMCS.

As the first school event of the year, it helps to bring everyone together. Cops for Cancer tests students’ abilities to plan and organize themselves quickly. Students new to Leadership receive a crash course in planning, organizing, promoting, and running events, and the car wash especially was a bonding experience, fully integrating the fresh faces.

Grade nines in the commons that day got a healthy dose of school spirit, which Leadership hopes will translate into strong participation in future school events.

Among all of the stereotypes that Sooke’s youth face, you can be sure that EMCS will continue to put its best face forward every year for this important cause.

Contributed by Hannah Jones