The 64th annual Spring Tea at Crestwood School featured decorations, performances and a general focus on making the day a special one for the kids.--NEWS PHOTO ZOE MASON
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Crestwood School council put on its 64th annual Spring Tea on Wednesday.
The yearly celebration marks one of the biggest events on the parent council’s calendar and a highly anticipated afternoon for students, who take over the gymnasium with performances, decorations, a student-served sit-down tea service and all number of fundraising activities.
“Today we are just celebrating spring and serving up tea and a bunch of goodies,” said Grade 6 student and event co-emcee Rylee Meyer.
The Grade 6 students are the hosts of the Spring Tea each year, responsible for serving cake, greeting guests and keeping tea cups full.
It’s a job Meyer says can make her shy, but it’s also an event she looks forward to.
“My favourite part has to be all the choirs, all the students coming together to make one voice,” she said.
In the past, Amy Leprieur, chair of the Crestwood School council, says the event was primarily about fundraising. This year, they wanted the focus to be more on community fun.
“These Spring Teas, we come together as a school-based community,” said Leprieur. “The kiddos love Spring Tea day, so this year we just wanted to make it about the kids, them having fun and enjoying the event.”
Spring Tea offers two sittings, an afternoon and an evening, that tend to attract around 300 participants. Crestwood School council treasurer Sharah Kershaw says she expects this year’s attendance will have reached that target.
There were still plenty of opportunities for willing participants to contribute to the council coffers, with a silent auction, a 50/50 draw, a bake sale and a craft table full of donated parent-made goods.
But this year, they also added door prizes for the first time, so attendees who didn’t want to spend more money could still stand to take home a gift.
The Spring Tea isn’t the fundraiser that brings in the most money for the parent council – that would be the regular casinos and bingo events they host – but it is the event that takes the most volunteer work and planning.
It is also not subject to the same restrictions as other fundraisers, which have to meet Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis regulations, meaning the money raised at Spring Tea can be spent more flexibly.
Leprieur says the parent council extends thanks to all the community members whot come to the annual event.
“We couldn’t be successful without the commitment and the donors, the sponsorship from our parents, who do all the baking and the crafting and the volunteering and getting their kids ready and allowing them to be here,” said Leprieur.
