Grade 6 students scoop up funds to assist fellow student

At the presentation of the ice-cream fundraising event funds, back from left, were: Heather Egan, Gavin Bonham-Carter (Cones & Shakes), some master scoopers Hudson Scanlon, Broden Harding, Lucas Macpherson at at front: Mary Cannons (Legion Branch 78), Katy Plaus, Abudi Mustafa with mom Suhaila El Husein.

CHEERS! from organizers/teachers Heather Egan and Katy Plaus to Grade 6 students at Prince Edward Collegiate Institute (PECI) who scooped more than 600 servings of ice cream in a fundraiser to help a fellow student.

Abudi Mustafa attends the regional program at PECI. Abudi lives with hydrocephalus, and he is currently in great need following a fire May 28 that destroyed the family home, including Abudi’s specialized equipment and van.

When Abudi was just a toddler, war in Syria destroyed his family home, and the Mustafas had to flee. They spent five years in Lebanon as refugees before they left everything behind to come to Canada. Due to Abudi’s extreme medical needs, the PEC community has rallied since they arrived in 2016 to help the family attain specialized equipment, including a custom-built bed, chairs, and a wheelchair-accessible van.

From June 26-28, the Grade 6 students held the fundraiser to help recoup some of the costs for Abudi’s equipment. Ice cream was pre-ordered the previous week by students from kindergarten to Grade 8, and the Secondary Special Education classrooms.

Along with an at-cost donation of ice cream by Gavin Bonham-Carter of Cones and Shakes, as well as the cups and spoons, the Picton Legion, Branch 78, donate $600 to cover the cost of the ice cream and in the end more than $1,800 was raised to assist Abudi.

The students delivered the ice cream and Abudi’s father, Adnan Mustafa also joined them to help scoop on June 27th.