Montana Davis is joining forces this month with her favourite band, Vancouver punk pop rock foursome Marianas Trench, to help troubled youth.
Davis, 14, has initiated a Change for Change fundraiser at Glacier View Secondary Centre and in the community to raise money for Covenant House, a safe house for youth in downtown Vancouver.
Davis became interested in Change for Change after learning on Marianas Trench’s website that her favourite band is teaming up with Change for Change to support Covenant House.
“I thought it would be a really good fundraiser to do at our school and raise change for troubled youth,” she said.
Davis is putting out coin jars around the school, and she has set out coin jars at the school board office, JET-FM and the Comox and Courtenay Shell gas stations.
Davis is collecting money throughout February, and she wants to raise at least $1,000. By Tuesday, she had already raised $50, and there were two full coin jars at the school.
Davis decorated all the coin jars herself, designed posters to go with them and, with a classmate, made a big poster for her school.
“It makes me actually feel good about myself,” she said. “I usually don’t do things like this. This is the first thing I’ve done, and I feel really good.”
Davis’ teacher, Melissa Harris, is impressed by her initiative.
“I think it’s exciting because she’s generally very quiet, and for her to organize it and want to initiate something like this, she had to talk to a lot of people and come out of her shell ... that takes a lot of courage and a lot of growth,” she said. “It’s really impressive.
“I think it’s pretty phenomenal that a 14-year-old could go to so much trouble and go to her principal and her school and ask for permission and support and on her own decorate cans and posters.”
At the end of the month, Davis, Harris and other students will get together to figure out how much money they made, roll the coins and take the money to the bank.
Marianas Trench is running a contest for its fans and offering prizes for the three people who raise the most money for Covenant House, including a meet and greet, hand-written lyrics, signed drum sticks, a conference call from lead singer Josh Ramsay and a signed copy of their latest album, Masterpiece Theatre.
The contest runs until March 1, and all funds go directly to Covenant House in Vancouver, a non-profit organization that helps youth aged 16 to 24 who are fleeing from physical, sexual or emotional abuse at home.
Davis is impressed to see her favourite band doing something to help others.
“I think it’s really good, especially since they’re giving out really good prizes,” she said.
Anyone who would like to help Davis raise money can drop off donations at Glacier View Secondary Centre on Beecher Drive in Courtenay, the JET-FM office on McPhee Avenue in Courtenay, the school board office on Cumberland Road in Courtenay, and the Shell gas stations in Courtenay and Comox.
“I just think every penny counts, and do your part to make a change in the world,” said Davis.
writer@comoxvalleyrecord.com