Elmwood School has a proud tradition of supporting and participating in the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure. Making this video was a perfect reflection of our commitment and dedication to this cause that is truly dear to our hearts.

After ten years of participating in the Run, the Elmwood Eagles were thrilled to have the chance to explain the why, the what and the how of our great team. The making of the video allowed us to answer all of these questions so deciding how to meet the criteria of the submission was easy. We really wanted to do something that would allow us to show our passion for the Run—so we spent lots of time brainstorming before the shooting of the video and even more the shoot day.

We wanted to make sure we represented everyone who is involved—so the opening scene demonstrates that participation begins in Junior Kindergarten and carries through every grade, and also involves faculty and parents. Part of Elmwood’s mission is to “create compassionate, engaged global citizens,” so having girls from all grades take part is as important as fundraising—we want to build generations that are aware, involved and empathetic.

We also wanted to demonstrate all the ways we raise money—it is quite an undertaking! It seems every year we are adding new ways to raise funds, but we chose to focus on just a few for the video—our wildly successful BBQ, Bake Sale, Change for the Cure and the Junior School favourite: Pink Accessory Day!

To conclude the video, we needed to demonstrate our love of school, community and cause. For the closing segment we wrapped our school with a giant pink ribbon. The wrapping of the school was an idea that came out of our first brainstorming session. None of us really knew if it would work or how it would work but somehow it came together (in the cold of November). We think it is a perfect visual that symbolizes our commitment to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure, our school, our community and the women in our lives who have been touched by this disease. Doing our part in the fight is a legacy that every graduating class leaves to the next. And until there is a cure, Elmwood School will continue to run.

Danielle May-Cuconato