Community Panda: Grade 3 student Olivia Clement

WWF

Each month WWF will be featuring an individual or group that has gone above and beyond to support WWF’s conservation efforts. Through WWF’s Community Panda program, these incredible people have organized events and activities in neighbourhoods across Canada in order to raise funds for WWF. We are very grateful for their support and incredibly proud of their accomplishments.
This month, we are proud to feature Olivia Clement, a Grade 3 student who is passionate about polar bears and has taken action to help protect them and their Arctic Home. Using her creative skills, Olivia hand-made and painted clay animals and sold them to friends, family and classmates. She even sold them at the local hockey rink during her older brother’s games. Proceeds from the sales were generously donated to WWF. The money fundraised by Olivia was contributed to WWF’s Arctic Home campaign where Coca Cola matches all donations before March 15 up to $1 million.

Olivia in the process of painting the clay animals she later sold to friends, family and classmates to raise funds for WWF-Canada.

What inspired you to take action for WWF?
My mum symbolically adopted an animal through the WWF when she was a little girl. She told me her story and I asked if I could help animals as well.
Why did you choose to help protect the polar bear?
I wanted to help save an animal that represented Canada. I chose the polar bear because I feel bad for them; that the ice is melting due to global warming and they have to travel so far and it is so hard for them to find food.
How did you come up with the idea?
I made a clay animal and my mum said that it was so cute and that I should make more and share them. I asked if I could sell them to raise money for WWF and help save animals at risk. We sold 22 statues and raised over $200!

Some of Olivia’s creations.

Any words of wisdom for other Community Panda participants?
Use your imagination and come up with a fun and original idea. Do not be afraid to talk to people. The more people you tell about what you are doing, the more animals we can help protect.
WWF extends a tremendous thanks to Olivia for her great leadership and dedication to helping protect Canada’s wildlife and wild spaces.
Interested in organizing an event and fundraising for WWF? It’s easy to get started! Find out more about our Community Panda program and join today!