Napanee high schoolers host carnival day to raise money for staff member battling cancer

NAPANEE, ONT. -

Students and staff at a Napanee, Ont., high school held a fundraiser on Friday to support one of the school’s staff members who is battling cancer.

Val Brookes-McKeown has been with Napanee District Secondary School for more than 40 years, first as a student herself, and then as an office administrator. This school year, however, she on leave after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Students at the school say every year they host an end of the year event in support of cancer research, but this year, the cause hit home and they wanted to do more, says student and organizer Sam Hill.

All the money raised will go directly to Brookes-McKeown and her family to help with treatment and recovery. 

"Val would be the first person you’d see when you walk into the office," he says of Brookes-McKeown. "Just be the heartbeat of our office itself."

The school decided to host a “Carni-Val” day, a play on Carnival and Brookes-McKeown name, where people can pay to play games on school grounds.

Grade 12 student Saddie Frigault also volunteered to be part of the games. In exchange for a ticket, fellow students could pour water over her head.

"As soon as this opportunity came up, we had to jump on it and do some kind of participating, even if it meant standing outside for two hours getting soaked,” Frigault said.

"Seeing her face and then coming back after COVID, and finding out this news (of her diagnosis), you wanted to do something for it, even if it mean doing the tiniest thing," says Frigault.

People also were encouraged to wear purple, Brookes-McKeown's favourite colour.

"We wanted to do something to help her but also to show her, let her know we’re thinking of her even when she’s not here," says teacher and organizer Nancy Savage-Straus.

While the total raised won’t be known for a few days, the students hope the message goes out right away. 

"Just having her face back in the office would mean the world."