Funding

Our playschool receives funds from two sources: tuition fees and fundraising. These funds are used for needs such as salaries, rent, supplies, up-to-date toys and books. The tuition you pay for your child does not cover all of the costs needed to maintain the playschool program. The rest of the funding comes from in-school fundraisers that we run every year and every second year, we run a volunteer-operated casino.

Casino

Westend Community Playschool is a non-profit organization, which enables us to apply for a casino gaming licence. Alberta Gaming requires us to fill all volunteer positions in order to maintain our casino licence every two years. Profits raised in the past have exceeded $60,000. Obviously, this is a worthwhile fundraising event! Each time we are granted a casino, we must provide 40-50 volunteers over two days to cover daytime and night-time shifts, lasting about 8 hours long. Volunteers are recruited from the families that belong to our playschool, and no previous training is needed. Families are required to provide a $250 refundable cheque that is returned to those who work a casino shift.

In-School Fundraising Events

Our in-school fundraising events can vary from year to year, but in the past they have included:

• Class photos – professional school photos are taken of each child and class and made available to order.

• Student Holiday/Christmas cards – your child’s artwork is professionally printed onto cards and made available for you to order in packages.

• Chocolate/Coffee sale

• Silent auction

• Artisan/Direct Sale Pop-up Shop (Ladies Night) – held in years that we do not run a casino.