Ping Pong Push For Change

by Emily Fallows - Patrick Fogarty Catholic SS

It was heated, with one minute until the bell rang for class to start, and the score was tied. Students and staff crowded around waiting for someone to slip and see the ball hit the ground, signaling defeat for someone and victory for another. The ping pong was spiked and finally the hush of everyone crowded into the atrium grew into a roar as the champion was announced.

This scenario is only a slight exaggeration of what goes on at Patrick Fogarty (PF) Catholic Secondary School in Orillia every day. Ping pong matches are one of the most popular things to do before school starts, at lunch, before class, during class and after school at PF.

The Grade 12 woodshop class created two sturdy wooden ping pong tables each located in the lower atrium and main atrium of the school. Built to be practically indestructible from the rowdy adrenaline, the ping pong tables thrilled anxious teenagers keen to get involved in a heated match.

Not only is playing ping pong one of the most fun things to do at PF, it is also being put to a good cause. On December 13th, from 3-9 p.m., there will be a ping pong championship fundraiser for Push for Change.

The entry fee is $10 for doubles and $15 for single players. Half of the money raised at this event will be donated to the homeless shelter in Orillia. For further information, or to register, visit Mr. Bosco’s Grade 12 leadership class.

Push for Change is the brainchild of Joe Roberts, who in May 2016 decided to push a shopping cart 9,000 km from St.John’s to Vancouver ending on September 30th of next year, to raise awareness and fundraise for youth homelessness.

Patrick Fogarty, in conjunction with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), are putting together this event by using the all powerful ping pong tables. Twenty students from both Orillia Secondary School, Twin Lakes School and Patrick Fogarty will be participating in the championship. Be sure to register to fill those spots!

Start practicing your ping pong game,for this promises to be the championship of all championships, and it will help others in the process.