It's Hats-on to the Portage Plains United Way tomorrow, as our children will be wearing hats throughout the Portage area schools and daycares for the United Way's 'Hat Day.' Executive director Mandy Dubois says it's a fundraiser for community agencies.

"Each year the United Way goes to the schools and the day-cares in our catchment area and encourages them to participate in Hat Day. Hat Day is a fundraiser we do to try and encourage kids to take part in the United Way fundraising campaign and teach them a little bit about philanthropy in our community, and just make it a teaching experience."

She outlines how it's done.

"Teachers and children are encouraged to bring a dollar. In return for that donation of a dollar they get to wear a hat all day at school or a day-care. Last year we had quite a few schools from our catchment area participate, and we raised over a $1,000.00 We usually get quite a few schools mainly from the Portage area. We get most of the schools in Portage la Prairie, Oakville, MacGregor and a couple of the day-cares also participate. We get a hat per student or teacher. That would be about over 1,000 kids who give back."

Dubois encourages you to chat with your kids about the United Way and what Hat Day is. She notes it's more than wearing a hat to school and giving the teacher a dollar. Explain to them where that hat is going, and how all funds go to their fundraising campaign that helps agencies in our community. That dollar represents a lot more than wearing a hat to school for a day.