By Sheila Phibbs
The Haldimand Press
JARVIS—When it comes to school fundraisers, we are accustomed to product sales like chocolate bars, greeting cards, popcorn, and pizza kits. Chicken manure is definitely not what one would expect to be offered, but for Jared Schuurman of Jarvis, it is the ideal way to support his school.
Jared is a Grade 6 student at Jarvis Community Christian School (JCCS) and he is participating in the Feeding the 5000 Fundraiser in support of the school’s $2.5 million building expansion. While the project will be mostly funded by adults, the administration recognizes that students have much to give but don’t have access to the same means and can, therefore, be overlooked when dealing with “adult matters.”
Principal Chad Haverkamp says of his students: “They have a valuable voice and we wanted to give them an opportunity to be involved.”
Inspired by the Matthew 14 story in which Jesus used five loaves of bread and two fish from one young boy to feed over 5,000 people, the April fundraiser began with each student being given $10 from an anonymous donor. Haverkamp explains, “Students were then challenged to consider how they can use their interests and talents to multiply the $10 as a means of blessing the school.”
In the Schuurman household, Jared shares that he and his four brothers were brainstorming different ways to make their $10 grow. One brother decided to collect and return beer cans, while another chose to sell firewood. Jared says, “My dad suggested the idea of selling manure. It would require some muscle and hard work, but I was up for the challenge!”
Jared used his $10 to purchase old feed bags from a local farmer and fill them with chicken manure. He laughs as he says, “I call my business Poop Your Plants.”
The family operates a chicken farm and Jared emphatically states, “We have an endless supply of chicken manure!” He is using manure that is approximately two years old. He describes it as “extremely rich in nutrients, especially nitrogen.”
Each bag is filled to three quarters full and weighs 40 to 50 pounds. Jared made a stand to hold the bags and then he adds the manure with a shovel and closes it with a zip tie. He says, “I have timed myself and I can fill one bag in 50 seconds.”
Jared suggests the manure is suitable for vegetable and flower gardens. He states, “A little will go a long way. You have to be careful not to use too much or it will burn the plants.”
Jared has done most of the work himself, but appreciates the support he has received from his family. His aunt designed a flyer and his mom takes the orders and drives him to make deliveries. His dad has helped fill some bags. Jared has sold more than 125 bags so far, with orders coming from as far away as Hamilton, Ancaster, and Brantford. He says, “I even had someone who didn’t want any manure but just wanted to make a donation.”
Since posting his fundraiser on Facebook, Jared says, “The orders have taken off!”
There is now a self serve stand at the end of his driveway for people to help themselves.
The bags are $7 each or three bags for $20. Jared is motivated to support his school as he says, “I would love to raise $1,000. As a school, if we raise $5,000 we get to have a pizza party and if we raise $10,000 we get to slime our principal!”
All incentives aside, Jared says, “I am excited to see the four new classrooms that the school is going to build!”
At present, the capacity of JCCS is 200 students; the new expansion will enable the school to accommodate an increased enrollment which is projected to be 230-250 in the next five years. Principal Haverkamp is amazed at the creativity and diversity he has seen from the students: selling baked goods, donating their pay from after school jobs, doing spring clean-up of neighbourhood lawns, auctioning a kayaking adventure (including childcare), selling build-your-own cookie kits, and much more.
Haverkamp is confident in this student driven approach to fundraising. He says, “We believe that the money given to these students will be multiplied to bless many people of generations to come in the capital expansion of our school!”
He is gratified not only with the enthusiasm of the students but the involvement of families. He says, “The true story of this initiative is how families are coming together to do this at home! Younger children especially need a bit of help … and the excitement to do something is rubbing off on their parents.”
These young entrepreneurs can also see the long term value of their hard work. Jared Schuurman says, “It’s exciting for us students to be able to contribute to this project too! My mom says hopefully one day I will have kids in the school and I can tell them that I helped build that addition when I was in Grade 6!”
“Poop Your Plants” chicken manure is available (self serve) at 1215 Sandusk Road, Jarvis.
