Mennonite Footprints is intended to show the cultural practices that Mennonites have engaged in for ages. Those who continue to perform them are the torch bearers. The customs that fall beside the way become our footprints.
December 23, 2009
Name: Taylor Balkwill
Hometown: Leamington, ON
Carrying Torch in: Amherstburg, ON
This picture is that of a real torch bearer helping to carry the Olympic torch across the nation. The torch being shown here is symbolic of the torch that all Mennonites carry. It is also symbolic of the fact that Mennonites no longer play the part of ‘The Quiet In The Land” (Die Stillen Im Lande); they now take part in one of the customs of our country as well as their own.
Taylor Balkwill, Olympic Torch Bearer
In grade six, Taylor Balkwill organized a program whereby the foil juice packet used on a daily basis by her classmates, could be collected, cut, washed, and sewn into usable handbags for sale. The first year of the program Balkwill’s school collected one garbage bag per week. Now they collect two garbage bags per day, approximately 144,000 packets per year. This has greatly reduced the amount of garbage at Balkwill’s school.
To promote her program, Balkwill prepared advertising, information, and price lists. The Board of Education also requested her presence at the ECO Schools Conference to display, sell, and encourage other schools to become environmentally friendly. Balkwill has ontacted other local schools to encourage participation. To date, sales of the handbags have allowed Balkwill to purchase native Canadian trees to establish her school’s first nursery. The handbags have also added to the funds for her school’s ECO friendly classroom, pond and wetland.
In addition, her ECO team received a $7,000 grant for an environmental proposal they submitted. Balkwill’s aim has been to teach younger students to take care of the environment. She has taught many younger students about the program she started. As Balkwill moves on to high school, she plans on creating a greater bond between her elemetary school and her high school. She hopes together they can strive towards a cleaner environment.
