Students running underground junk food trade donate profits to charity
Last Updated: Saturday, November 22, 2008 | 12:02 PM PT
CBC News
Students Mark Stoklosa and Frank Summerford plan to donate to a different charity each month. (CBC) Two high school students in Burnaby, B.C., who made headlines in September for selling junk food out of their lockers are helping others with their earnings.
Frank Summerford and Mark Stoklosa, who initially asked only to be identified as The Fern and Goggles, respectively, grabbed media attention for starting up an underground junk food shop after a provincial ban on candy and chocolate bar sales in B.C. schools came into effect in September.
Within the first week of business, the two made roughly $200 selling candy and chocolate bars out of their lockers at Moscrop Secondary School. The school has said it wouldn't punish the young merchants but would try to persuade them to stop selling unhealthy treats.
The formerly clandestine operation isn't about making a profit — the students are using their earnings to give back to the community.
"Both of us have jobs and we figured we don't really need the money, so we decided to give it charity," Summerford said. "For each month, we pick a charity and donate as much as we can to that charity."
On Friday, the two Grade 11 students presented the BC Children's Hospital with $500, which is the profit they made between September and October.
Joanne Newman, the philanthropic officer at BC Children's Hospital, says the two young men are "super heroes" for donating their profits to the charity. (CBC) "These men here, these brave superheroes, they've raised money for Children's Hospital and it's going to help us build a brand new hospital," said Joanne Newman, the philanthropic officer at BC Children's Hospital.
"It's these grassroots fundraisers that are critically important to our campaign, so these boys coming out and raising money … is incredible."
Summerford and Stoklosa said their first donation was a success.
"It feels great. We know it's going to go to good research or a good cause, so we gave it away and helped out the community," Stoklosa said.
The young entrepreneurs intend to donate November's profits to the Royal Canadian Legion and are looking for a food bank or homeless shelter to help in December.
