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Chamber needs support to host financial literacy event for students

The chamber needs donations and up to 80 volunteers to support a financial literacy event for 300 Grade 9 students
chamber of commerce
Moose Jaw & District Chamber of Commerce (Larissa Kurz photograph)

The Moose Jaw & District Chamber of Commerce is looking for volunteers and financial donations to help support an event that will teach high school students financial literacy skills.

The chamber has teamed up with Prairie South School Division to host Reality Check for 150 Grade 9 students at A.E. Peacock and Central collegiates on Nov. 27 and 28, respectively. During the event, students will be assigned a random annual income and will move to different booths such as housing, transportation, clothing, insurance and child care to make virtual payments from their monthly budget.

Although they must visit very booth, students are encouraged to make their own personal decisions, according to a chamber news release. Once they’ve paid their bills, student who have money left over receive a box of Smarties, while those with $0 left in their bank account receive a Mars bar or Mirage bar and will be required to visit the SOS booth so they can acquire a part-time job.

The Conexus Credit Union is the title sponsor for this year’s event.

Since this is the first year for this event, the chamber is looking for Moose Jaw businesses to contribute volunteers and a donation of $100 — or more — to support the start-up costs such as booth banners and printed materials. The chamber needs at least 60 to 80 volunteers to ensure the event succeeds.

The chamber’s desire is to establish an RESP bursary that one or more Grade 9 participants would be eligible to win to help them with their education upon graduation.

“It’s a great opportunity for the students to gain a deeper understanding of how their parents live on a day-to-day basis,” chamber director Rob Clark explained in a news release. “It really puts things in perspective and gives them some real-world experience, and therefore, a better idea of what to expect in the future.”

To provide real insight, every booth is hosted by community volunteers from their correlating industries, such as auto salesman, bank officials, child-care providers and real estate agents.

With the monetary donation of $100, businesses will be recognized as participants of the event. The chamber has received positive feedback from everyone to whom it has spoken about this project and plans to have this as an annual event, Clark said.  
 
Anyone interested in supporting this event should call the chamber at 306-692-6414

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