Atikokan High School [1] has a program called the OUTERS. It’s the longest running high school outdoor education program in Ontario – 43 years young!

The OUTERS dedicate one day to community service each year and Project Porchlight was very lucky to have the opportunity to tap into their enthusiasm. Plus, the three Porchlight staffers were pretty taken by the taxidermy sprinkled throughout the classroom we were using as the launch pad (check out Alexa + Otter in our Flickr photo gallery [2]).

20-some high school students, three very organized teachers, 10 pizzas, 12 clipboards, and six stuffed mammals later—the town was smothered in energy efficient light. 1,100 bulbs dispersed—just like clockwork!

While the students went door-to-door in all the residential nighbourhoods in the area, the Porchlight team went to local businesses to talk about our campaign. Not that it needed much promotion—we were tickled pink to run into folks who received their bulbs already, had heard about us on the radio, or even picked up a bulb at the Fort Frances [3] hockey game!

I know I have said this a few times before, but I think it’s worth mentioning again: Northern Ontario is the bees knees. The spirit is awesome, the weather is nutty, and the Tim Horton’s flows freely. It’s faBULBulous!