A Carman Collegiate student is turning recycled wax into a symbol of hope for survivors of domestic violence.
Emmalee Chubaty, 17, has been handmaking candles for almost three years. But her creations aren’t your typical wax-and-scent home goods — they’re made entirely from recycled materials.
“She’s always been very crafty and creative, and it was the next thing on the list I guess,” said Shari Chubaty, Emmalee’s mom. “But this one stuck.”
Through trial and error, Google searches and YouTube videos, Emmalee taught herself how to make candles — even creating her own moulds. All the wax she uses is recycled: friends drop off bags of old wax at their home, she thrifts used candles from MCC Thrift and melts everything down in an old crockpot before pouring it into moulds to give the wax new life.
Some of the wax she receives is scented and some is not. Emmalee doesn’t add any new fragrance, so the candles carry the scent of their previous use. Even the wicks are handmade — she dips cotton string into wax repeatedly until it’s ready.
Shari said Emmalee has always loved thrifting and reusing items, and she prefers natural products. Emmalee had cancer at age two and still lives with long-term side effects, such as hearing loss, so she’s careful about what she puts in and on her body. Her candle-making reflects that mindset.
Emmalee mostly sells her candles at school, often to staff members. Prices vary depending on the time and materials involved, with most selling for around $2 and some as much as $10. She recently sold candles to raise money for Genesis House, a cause close to her family’s heart.
Genesis House provides emergency shelter and crisis services for people experiencing gender-based violence. The Chubaty family once lived there for two months after leaving a domestic violence situation.
Shari and Emmalee originally supported the organization by making and donating leather keychains for fundraising. While they continue that effort, Emmalee decided she wanted to contribute something of her own. She realized she could use her candle-making to help.
Emmalee experimented with mixing waxes to create a purple hue — the nationally recognized colour for domestic violence awareness. Her fundraiser raised nearly $100 for Genesis House, and she didn’t stop there. Now, every purple candle she sells supports the organization, with 100 per cent of the proceeds donated.
“It feels good that I’m not just sitting on the side waiting for change,” she said. “Nothing will change if nobody does anything, and even though I’m one person, one person can make a lot of difference. And maybe other people might help out too if they see one person helping out.”
Rates of domestic violence have increased in recent years. Where one in four women globally used to experience it, that number is now one in three.
“Those numbers should be going down, not up,” said Shari.
According to the Government of Canada, 44 per cent of women and girls who have been in an intimate partner relationship reported experiencing some form of abuse. Women and girls are significantly more likely than men and boys to experience intimate partner violence.
Genesis House has been operating for 40 years. Its 24-hour crisis line is 1-877-977-0007. The local crisis line is 204-325-9800.
