The Champlain Word Search book fundraiser has officially wrapped up following an outstanding community response that resulted in a $2,500 donation to local food banks.
Created by Vankleek Hill resident Trena Byrne, the locally themed word search book celebrates the people, businesses, streets, history, and stories that make Champlain Township unique. A total of 500 books were printed for the campaign, and the entire run quickly sold out.
Proceeds from the fundraiser generated a $2,500 donation, which was split evenly between the Vankleek Hill Food Bank and the L’Orignal Food Bank.
The book featured more than 100 puzzles and included over 600 local references, highlighting businesses, people, places, organizations, landmarks, and events from across the community. The project took more than nine months to research, compile, and create.
“As a teacher at VCI for many years, I’ve seen first-hand how food insecurity can affect a student’s ability to learn and succeed in school,” said Byrne. “I wanted to do something on a larger scale that got the whole community involved, and the response was incredible. The success of this project is due to the support I’ve received from local businesses, organizations, and community members.”
Residents embraced the project not only as an enjoyable activity, but also as a way to support neighbours in need while celebrating local heritage. The response exceeded expectations and demonstrated the impact a community can have when people come together behind a common cause.
“The support from local businesses, community organizations, and residents was amazing,” Byrne added. “What started as a simple idea became something much bigger. It was rewarding to see so many people connect with the history and stories of our area while helping two important organizations that support local families.”
Following the success of the fundraiser, Byrne is now exploring opportunities to partner with a Hawkesbury-based organization for a possible future edition of the community word search series.
For more information or partnership inquiries, visit the Champlain Word Search page on Facebook or contact [email protected].
