Some Chestermere residents have been coming home to find a decorated toilet set up on their lawn by Synergy’s Youth Encouraging Lasting Leadership (YELL).
The toilet is part of YELL’s Foot by Foot fundraiser for the program room in the new Reid Built Centre for Community Leadership.
Communications Intern Lina Barbon has been managing the fundraiser and got the idea from one of the youth council member’s parents.
“She heard of someone doing this in college, so we though why not give it a try? It’s something that could be fun for the summer and help with the fundraising for the centre,” said Barbon.
The Prank with a Purpose started Aug. 2 and is raising awareness and funds.
The way that it works is, the toilet, nicknamed the Leadership Flusher, is placed on the lawn of a city resident with lawn signs explaining the fundraising campaign.
The homeowner then has two options. They can have the toilet removed by posting a picture on Facebook, tagging and liking Synergy using the hashtag #leadership flusher.
If the person wants to choose where the toilet will be moved to next, they have to post to social media and make a donation to the campaign.
Chestermere residents can also purchase toilet insurance for five dollars to prevent it from being dropped off on their lawn.
So far the reaction from the community has been really positive said Barbon.
“Everyone has been pretty good about it,” said Barbon, “a lot of people think it’s hilarious.”
Before being taken out into the community, the toilet was painted by fifteen-year-old Synergy Youth Intern Olivia Barberio.
She spent four hours painting a face on the toilet bowl and an abstract design on the tank.
Barberio had a lot of fun painting the toilet and is really happy the community has been enjoying her work.
“I feel awesome about it,” she said.
The toilet was first placed at the home of Kim Soderberg McRae. She was chosen because of her involvement in the community, primarily through her website www.chestermere.macaronikid.com.
McRae thought the prank was hilarious when she came home with her kids to find the toilet on her lawn Aug. 2.
“I thought it was great,” she said.
After she read the lawn signs explaining the fundraiser she thought it was a great way to make this fundraiser stand out from all the other campaigns out there.
“I thought it was a fantastic idea, it’s a great way to get the community talking,” said McRae.
She chose to make a donation and sent the toilet to her friend who lives in a high traffic location.
“She thought it was fantastic too,” said McRae.
So far the campaign has been successful in raising awareness as well as $240, exceeding the campaign goal of raising $140 or one square foot of the program room.
The campaign will keep going as long as Chestermere residents support it, likely ending when the weather starts to turn at the end of September.
