WRITTEN BY ERYN AUSTIN BERGEN
ABBOTSFORD, BC — Every year, Elianna’s school hosts an “Entrepreneur Fair” for the students—the kind elementary and middle school students enjoy across Canada. And she was excited. The teacher suggested a progressive marketing strategy is to donate some of their proceeds to a charity. Elianna’s heart saw bigger possibilities. She already had both her business plan and her charity all picked out.
Elianna would be making soap and moisturizers to sell and donate all the funds to FH Canada’s Gift Guide!
Then a curve ball came – COVID-19. Like the rest of the schools in the country, Elianna’s had to close their doors. She was disappointed, to say the least, but she didn’t let this stop her. The creative 12-year-old asked her parents if they could have their own Christmas market, either online or in a COVID-19 friendly way in their cul-de-sac. Her parents were totally supportive.
Elianna and her 10-year-old sister Mirabelle got to work making their own natural soap and skin care products. While learning to make the soap was “fun and easy” they did find making labels and wrapping the soap a bit tricky. As the sisters looked through the FH Canada Gift Guide, they decided to try to raise enough funds to buy a Dairy Cow. That would be a goal of $160, a big number for these two. Their mom and dad helped with marketing ideas and production. The girls sent a mass email to friends and family advertising their outdoor market, products and asked for pre-orders.
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| Elianna and Mirabelle set up a soap shop outside their house where neighbours came to Christmas shop and to help the girls end poverty! |
The afternoon of Wednesday December 2nd, the girls opened their tables and driveway for business. Even though they couldn’t serve hot chocolate or cider, they created a festive atmosphere with bright lights, music and big smiles. The whole family pitched in, the littlest brother even let them borrow his cow stuffie to accompany the stack of Gift Guide magazines cheering up the table.
Elianna and Mirabelle put careful thought and playful energy into their soap displays, even including a sushi themed soap with chopsticks! A steady stream of guests bedecked with colourful face masks made their way through the tables all afternoon and evening, abiding by the girls 6 foot chalk lines!
With Christmas markets across the valley cancelled, friends and family members were excited at this opportunity to pick up a few gifts in a COVID-19 safe way, and do some holiday good. Shoppers who had pre-ordered their items online were able to do curb-side pick-up of their beautifully wrapped Christmas treasures.
Over the course of a few days—“market days” being a Wednesday afternoon and following Friday evening—Elianna and Mirabelle sold enough product to raise over $1000! A success neither of them expected.
Now the girls have sold enough soap to stock a whole stable and buy a cow. “We really wanted to help families in need around the world; we have so much more than they do,” the girls said, explaining their motivation. Elianna has already committed the proceeds from all additional sales to the Gift Guide.
“It was so exciting to watch our daughters desire to serve be brought to Jesus in prayer like the 5 loaves and 2 fish. He truly multiplied their intentions and the lessons through the experience in so many ways, it was a great project!” Their parents beamed.
Are you looking for ways to make an impact just like Elianna and Mirabelle? You can also stock a stable by visiting the FH Canada Gift Guide!
