Far Away Friends club held an indoor snowball fight on January 19 during Seminar. The event was one of the many monthly fundraising challenges the club puts on. 

Established in September of 2021, the Far Away Friends club began school-wide challenges the same year. Featuring teachers past and present, such as previous principal James Jelinek, and current teachers, including Andrew Gysin, Krista Rudloff, and librarian Mallory Goetz, the club has sponsored fundraising events like the hot wings challenge, the costume challenge, and the dunk tank challenge. 

“It was fun to see students interact and be there for the dunk tank challenge and really engage in that process,” Goetz said. 

The snowball fight was just one part of the club’s goal to raise funds for their sister school, Agidak Seed Secondary School in Uganda, by getting DRHS staff and students involved. Raising $82 at the snowball event, all donations went to the sister school.  Donations are typically used for items such as Afri-pads, reusable menstrual pads, in order to keep girls in school during their period; food; teacher lessons; and building basics such as better roofing, floors, and windows. 

The Far Away Friends club at Dakota Ridge High School is in partnership with the global organization Far Away Friends, focussed on getting children in rural Uganda better education with the hope of ending lifelong cycles of poverty. The organization works with the community around the sister school to better gain an understanding of what they need. Far Away Friends also works with the students in the club and teaches them how to be more aware of issues like global warming, women in schools, food crises, the history of Uganda, and much more. 

The atmosphere among the participants and crowd at the event was excited, but a little drowsy. With one minute on the clock, every round, and donuts on the line, students seemed to get tired. Kicking, throwing, and pushing snowballs to the other team’s side was each team’s strategy in order to win. 

“More importantly, for this fundraiser, I think the students that participated had fun,” club sponsor David Purcell said. 

Next on the docket for the club is the Far Away Friends Market Day Fund — an oportunity to purchase specific items, such as goats, chickens, and other products, that go directly to Far Away Friends recipients.