The scent of popcorn and the theatrics of Jim Carey's The Grinch drowned out the worries of a stormy December night as Fort la Reine School students, parents and staff got together to help out the community's fluffy friends.

The movie night occasion was inspired by a call from the Portage Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), in which they asked sponsors to buy new bricks for their new building that they hope to move into in the early new year.

Claudia Verwey, a teacher at Fort la Reine School, says that as an animal fanatic, she really wanted to help out PAWS. in turn, she and a few staff at the school brainstormed and came up with the idea of having a Christmas Movie Night.

The event featured a small donation to get into the door, popcorn, drinks and 50/50 sales, all going toward raising money, which amounted to $700.

Verwey says that she believes her school outdid itself.

"It's nice to see a small school being able to raise so much money. I can't imagine what the other schools could do if they tried."

File Photo.

The educator notes that around 20 families came out to watch the movie, and due to the radical success of the night, the school is contemplating holding a similar event in the spring.