What do you think of when you think of home?  

For grade four student Mallory Pitzner who attends Heloise Lorimer School in Airdrie, her thoughts of home are turning into a new home for a family in southern Alberta.

Pitzner was one of three grand prize winners in the annual "Meaning of Home" contest in support of Habitat for Humanity Canada.  Her entry was selected from over 8,000 from grade four, five and six students across Canada.  As one of the grand prize winners, Mallory receives a $25,000 grant to be directed to Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta.  Mallory has decided to direct the funds to an upcoming Habitat build in the community of Radisson Heights in Calgary.

The theme of the contest was, "The Meaning of Home."  Mallory explains how she heard about it from a friend who'd entered and decided she'd give it a shot.  "Me and my friend were talking and she had already entered.  She was in a different class and I said, 'well, I want to enter that,'  So it was the day of the Valentine's dance and we had a break after that so I only had one day to submit it so I was like, 'I need to start planning.'   So I started thinking of everything home meant to me and I really just brainstormed and I put it into words."

Here's a portion of Mallory's creation called, "When I Think of Home"

When I think of home I think of warm dinner, 

I have such a great home I feel like a lottery winner, 

When I come home after school to see my dogs tail wagging

I think of people who can't go home and that leaves my heart dragging 

 

Mallory tells us about the day she found out she'd won, and her disbelief.

"One day I was in class, it was a normal day.  Miss Robichaud the teacher that class my friend was in came in and she was like, 'unfortunately, someone in my class didn't win but someone in your class did and all my class was like, 'what!'  I was like, 'I think I'm the only one who entered' and then my mom walked in and I was like, 'what the?'  And then they're like, 'Mallory, you won!'  And I was like, 'hold up, what?'  I was like, 'that's crazy, there's no way,' and they gave me all the details and I was like 'wow, that's crazy, I can't even believe it.  I feel like I'm dreaming!'"

Mallory is glad that the money she won is going to such a good cause.  She says of Habitat for Humanity, "I feel like they're really important because they help build homes for people that don't have homes and I feel like it's really important for people to have a home."

In addition to three grand prize winners, nine runners up from across Canada were also announced who each have a $5,000 grant to direct to the local Habitat for Humanity organization of their choice. Every student entry earned a $10 donation for that student’s local Habitat for Humanity. Nearly 400 students from southern Alberta entered the contest, helping raise an additional $4,000 for their local Habitat.

The President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta Gerrard Oishi said, "I want to congratulate Mallory and thank every student who entered and shared what home means to them."

Since it was started in 2007, the Meaning of Home contest has provided over $1.2 million in funding for Habitat for Humanity across Canada.  The contest encourages students to become engaged and compassionate community members.  

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