Like most graduating high schoolers, Courtney Barich will be attending prom.
But instead of wearing a fancy new dress, the Surrey, B.C., Grade 12 student might end up rocking something a little more modest.
“I'm wearing a burlap potato sack,” she told CTV Vancouver on Thursday.
It’s all part of a campaign to raise money for orphaned children in the Philippines. Barich, who went to the Philippines in March with her school, wants to raise $10,000 for an orphanage she visited there.
She says what she saw at the orphanage in the Philippines opened her eyes.
“It was made out of just straight garbage so they sleep in like garbage bags and stuff,” Barich said about the orphans she met. “(It) kind of escalated into whole idea of helping others.”
People can donate to Barich’s cause for another 55 days by visiting her campaign website courtneysburlapgrad.ca. She’s already raised about $4,000.
Barich has also launched a Facebook page that features updates about the campaign’s progress.
Her plan is to go back to Philippines in the fall and deliver the money to the orphanage and also volunteer. She says the money will go towards education, food, medical needs and shelter for the orphaned children.
Barich says her prom date has decided to wear a burlap vest and a bowtie to complement her outfit.
A local designer has also offered to work on Barich’s burlap sack -- at no charge -- to make it a little more eye catching.
With a report from CTV Vancouver
