Schools raise funds for hurricane relief
Beyond the fun and games of fundraising, area children are showing they have a lot of heart as their schools participate in hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
Volunteers load up supplies that pupils and teachers at Stevens Creek Elementary collected for Hope Soap to help hurricane victims. Columbia County schools have collected more than $46,000 for hurricane relief.
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From the simplest idea of bringing in donations, to those which the principal has offered to do something silly to spur the pupils along, area schools have collected more than $45,000 for victims of the hurricane that struck the Gulf Coast on Aug. 29.
"I have great parents, students and staff," said Felicia Dumas, the principal of Lakeside Middle School, which has raised more than $3,100.
"They are always willing to go the extra mile for any worthy cause.
Dumas told her pupils that if they raise $3,000, she would spend one school day in the lobby display case.
"Everyone seemed to love that idea," she said.
A pajama day this month, along with a hat day Sept. 9, brought in more than $3,100. Several sixth-grade boys made signs and stood at a table at the school's home football game to raise even more money.
"It was totally their idea," Dumas said. "I guess you can tell how very proud I am of all of my students, their families and my staff for their generosity."
North Harlem Elementary pupils heeded the call to raise funds as well, exceeding their original goal of $2,000. The school has since raised its goal to $5,000.
Because the children already have reached the first goal, the school's principal, Kirk Wright, will walk to school one day next month as part of a promise he made.
"He lives in Evans, so he'll be walking about 22 miles," said Dealia Yancey, the school's media specialist.
Brookwood Elementary held a fundraiser in which pupils donating a dollar or more could decorate a handprint to place in the school's foyer. The "Brookwood Cares" fundraiser netted more than $3,000.
Other school fundraising efforts include:
- Bel Air Elementary - $600 through a hat day and incoming donations.
- Greenbrier Elementary - $1,922.05 through a call for donations.
- Lewiston Elementary - $1,500 from donations. Lewiston, Bel Air and Greenbrier held their fundraisers jointly, with all donations to go to the American Red Cross.
- Blue Ridge Elementary - $4,000.
- Euchee Creek Elementary - planning a fundraiser that has not yet begun.
- Evans Elementary - $5,592.40 with donations still coming in. Money was raised through a dress-down day for teachers and donations from pupils, with the top class receiving a pizza party and the next three classes receiving a popcorn party. All donations will go to the American Red Cross.
- Martinez Elementary - have almost reached its goal of $2,000.
- North Columbia Elementary - The school collected a large quantity of personal hygiene items for Hope Soap's "We Send Hope" project. The school recently had studied respect for self, including personal hygiene.
- Riverside Elementary - $3,860 to go to the American Red Cross.
lSouth Columbia Elementary - $3,100, with donations still coming.
- Stevens Creek Elementary - school participated in the Hope Soap relief project by collecting more than 60 boxes of personal care items. Monetary donations totaled $250 to go to the American Red Cross.
- Westmont Elementary - $2,638 through a collection of donations by the school's third- through fifth-grade student council members. The money will go to the American Red Cross.
- Columbia Middle - $3,000 by way of inviting pupils to wear their favorite hat to school all week for a $5 donation.
- Evans Middle - $700 through a hat day for pupils and dress down (jeans and hat) for teachers. Another hat day is planned.
- Greenbrier Middle - $244 through a hat day. The school also has a "kiss the pig" fundraiser that will run through Oct. 4 and has it been collecting supplies to donate to Wesley United Methodist Church for their relief efforts.
- Grovetown Middle School - more than $1,000 through a fundraiser for former pupil Amanda Bussard, who lives in Ocean Springs, Miss., an area just outside of Biloxi.
- Harlem Middle School - $1,000 by selling paper chains, with fundraising to continue through next week.
- Riverside Middle School - $4,000 in two days. The school also is collecting school supplies for those in need.
- Evans High School - $2,039.30 by selling Mardi Gras beads. The school's dance team also has collected personal care items.
- Harlem High - $1,172 collected through individual donations, with $1,100 of that money going to a former pupil whose family lived in Biloxi, Miss. The school also has asked students to donate items to Harlem Baptist Church to be shipped to victims.
- Lakeside High - students were invited to pay $2 to wear their pajamas to school earlier this week, in addition to collections taken up by lunchroom personnel. Totals were not immediately available.
- Greenbrier High - raised more than $2,300 through a hat day and student donations. The donations will continue through Sept. 23.
- Augusta Preparatory Day School - the school is working with Episcopal Day School to collect items for Hope Soap.
- Augusta Christian Schools - $1,300 to be divided between the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. Pupils also brought in water the week after the hurricane and alumnus Brock Ballis delivered it to the Gulf Coast. The student body also is collecting items for Wesley United Methodist Church's hurricane relief effort.