Group 8 of De Wegwijzer spent a night on a ship and raised more than € 7,000 for Mercy Ships!
While many peers were on one ear, the pupils of group 8 of primary school De Wegwijzer (Netherlands) from Nieuw-Lekkerland stayed awake all night – on a ship! Not only for the adventure, but for a good cause: Mercy Ships. Students Guido and Hadassa tell how this cool action came about and what it was like to spend a night without sleep.
“Every year, group 8 at our school chooses a charity,” Hadassa explains. “We were allowed to come up with ideas ourselves and present them to the class. Then we voted on what goal it should be.” This year, the choice fell on Mercy Ships. Guido: “I also voted for Mercy Ships. I think it’s great that they help people who otherwise can’t go to a hospital. And it also appealed to me because I live on the river Lek and often see boats passing by.”
An instructive preparation
In the run-up to the action night, group 8 organized several actions: a market with games and food, a bread sale and a deposit collection. “It started with the idea of a night on a ship,” says Hadassah. “The other actions were added to raise extra money.”
The preparation was very instructive. “I knew Mercy Ships a bit,” says Guido, “but I didn’t know, for example, that there are also families living on the ship.” Hadassa adds: “I have discovered that they do more than just surgeries. For example, they also help children to be able to walk or move their arm again after an operation. And they also train local people – I didn’t know that at first either.”
A night without sleep
The big action – a night with the whole class on a ship – started at 5:00 pm and lasted until 12:00 pm the next day. The group stayed awake all night, with the help of activities, food and drink. “There were guest lessons from the fire brigade, a baker, a photographer and musicians, among others,” says Guido. “Sometimes I was tired. I noticed that when I sat down, I almost fell asleep.”
Hadassa also had a hard time, but she managed to stay awake. Her trick: “Just keep talking and participate. There was a campfire on the beach, we played laser tag and even went swimming in the morning!” Almost the whole class kept it up. “Our teacher was full of energy,” laughs Guido. “It kept us awake.”
Tips from Guido and Hadassa
Afterwards, the fatigue was great. “I fell asleep immediately in the car,” says Hadassa. “And at home I slept for another three hours.” But the effort was more than worth it: the campaign raised more than € 7,000!
Finally, Guido and Hadassa have tips for other classes who want to set up a sponsorship campaign: “Do something that you like yourself,” says Guido. ” Then you can keep it up better.” Hadassa: “And really do it together, with everyone’s commitment. That’s when you achieve the most.”
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