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Students taking new path for Dog Guides By Brice Roy SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER What has four arms, four legs, thousands of paws and two big hearts? The answer is two Grade 12 students with the drive and determination to sell their custom dog paw M&Ms in support of the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides. What started out as a Grade 12 international business assignment has turned into much more for Jonathon Hawkrigg and Dante Kichi, both students at Appleby College. Assigned the task of creating a business, the two young men thought outside the box and went above and beyond to create Charity INcK. "We looked at several options and thought a charity might be the best fit for us," said Hawkrigg, 17. "We both love and own dogs and have seen the dog guides helping people in our community. We really wanted to help them out." Charity INcK is a unique pairing of the skills and for-profit techniques the two students learned in class with a non-profit goal. The young men created and ordered their custom candies with the goal of selling them to support their cause. "It was pretty easy to step up. You just log on, and pick the colours and artwork you want on it," said Kichi, 17. While other groups in the past have been 11 · Friday, April 6, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com SUBMITTED PHOTO CHARITY INcK: Appleby College students Jonathon Hawkrigg, left, and Dante Kichi have created a new business, Charity INcK, a custom product and will donate all proceeds to Dog Guides Canada. required to donate 10 per cent of their profits, Charity INcK is the first in the history of the school to donate 100 per cent of the proceeds. "We have always maintained the 10 per cent rule, but this year with Jonathon and Dante stepping up we might ask the other kids to up the ante to 20 per cent," said David Suchanek, the boys' business teacher. Suchanek said the goal of the assignment was to get "everybody to understand that creativity, innovation and collaboration is the mantra of today's education." "For Jonathon and Dante to do this was sort of the cherry on the top of the cake for me," said Suchanek. "It's inspiring when you have two students, 17 years old, who decided to give it all back to charity." Suchanek wasn't the only individual in awe of the two young philanthropists. "It's wonderful to know that members of the community are supporting us," said Natalie Moncur, communications manager at Dog Guides Canada. "It's especially wonderful to have student take the time to recognize Dog Guides." The custom candies will be available to the public the week of April 9. Hawkrigg and Kichi are hoping to be selling bags of the M&Ms for $5 in and around Oakville Place and several local Oakville LCBOs. Hawkrigg and Kichi have also ordered custom M&Ms to raise money for the Guy S. Mclean Global Education fund. These baby blue candies emblazoned with the slogan `100 years' will be sold at the Appleby College Centennial Gala. The candies will be available for $10 and come in an elegant tin case with the centennial logo on the front. The students enjoy helping the community and don't plan on stopping their fundraising anytime soon. "As long as it's successful, I think we'll keep going with it. Down the road, if it's not doing as well, we might change charities. Anything that can help the community," said Kichi. "We want to keep making money for some form of charity," added Hawkrigg. THRESHOLD CONSTRUCTION SAVE HST! THE Specializing In Decks, Fences & Sheds Design & Build, Fully Insured, Competitive Rates Call 905-522-8686 For A Free Estimate Custom Inground Swimming Pools One Company. One Responsibility. 416-410-2066 · 905-319-7502 Serving the Halton-Peel Region