Ellie’s mums for a cause
screenshot from Ellie's Mums website
Ellie’s Mums is an initiative to help students celebrate the tradition of homecoming while giving back to local charities.
September 19, 2017
The Texan tradition of mums began years ago as an effort to increase school spirit for during the homecoming season. Over the years, mums have evolved from the traditional small chrysanthemums to large and extravagant floral pins with feathers, ribbons, and sometimes even bells.
One student from Reedy High School had a vision for a project that incorporates the roots of this beloved tradition into a way to help out the community.
“Two years ago I created ‘Ellie’s Mum Challenge’, a project which encourages students to downsize their Homecoming mums and bring back a tradition of simple beauty while donating the proceeds to local charities in Frisco,” founder Ellie Meinershagen said. “Ellie’s Mum Challenge can be summed up in four words: bring back, give back.”
This year, the project hopes to spread to all nine Frisco high schools and get the entire district involved in their generous cause.
“Ellie’s Mum Challenge was started by a Reedy Student but that have opened it up as a district wide campaign,” StuCo sponsor Jordan Benton said. “As StuCo we are wanting to extend this out to our student body at Liberty as an alternative or addition to the expensive mums of Homecoming and donations to a great cause as well.”
Ordering Ellie’s Mums can also be a good alternative for students not looking to pay the high prices of typical mums while consequently getting to donate to local charities.
“Each $40 purchase is broken down into two parts: $20 for the florist, Patti Ann’s Flowers, and $20 to be given to charity,” Meinershagen said on the challenge’s website. “This year, we are donating to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Collin County, a nonprofit which enables all young people to reach their full potential as responsible, caring, productive citizens.”
Some students on campus, are willing to opt for the smaller mums due to the satisfaction that comes with helping out with the local community.
“I would be willing to have a smaller mum if it meant that I got to help other people because that’s more important than having a fancy decoration that I get to wear,” junior Samantha Roten said. “I like the project because I feel like it gets people to think about the more important things in life rather than just what the norm is and it also helps the community come together and be united in a bigger cause.”
