East Longmeadow schools raise funds for Haitian earthquake victims
Date: 1/18/2010
Jan. 18, 2010By Debbie Gardner
Assistant Managing Editor
EAST LONGMEADOW - The elementary schools in town are coming together to help ease the suffering of the earthquake victims in Haiti.
Last Friday, a letter went home with students at all three elementary schools asking parents and business owners to consider making a donation to the fund the elementary school PTOs are establishing for earthquake relief in Haiti.
"I have kids who are in four of the schools in town," Mapleshade PTO President Michele Martinelli told
Reminder Publications. "My nine-year-old was watching the news [Wednesday] and said 'there must be something we can do.'"
She thought of the fundraising the Mapleshade PTO had done to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina, and decided perhaps a similar approach would work for this human tragedy.
"[For Katrina] we collected donations and bought supplies," Martinelli said. "For Haiti, once we collect the money we will funnel it through a very reputable organization that will provide hands-on relief." She mentioned the Salvation Army as an example of an appropriate organization for the donations.
Martinelli said she got on the phone to Mapleshade School Principal Brenda Houle the next morning with her idea and "she was on the computer to her staff sending out an e-mail asking what they could do to help."
She and Houle first checked with Co-Interim Superintendents Elaine Santaniello and Terry Olejarz to make certain the fundraising effort was approved, then composed a letter to be sent home to students.
Martinelli said she also contacted Meadow Brook PTO President Kim Conant and Mountain View PTO President Becky McKittrick to ensure they were on board with this effort before releasing the final draft, which is reprinted with permission below.
Haiti Relief East Longmeadow Elementary Schools PTOs Respond In light of the tragic events that have occurred in Haiti the thousands of homeless families, the terror, death, and destruction of an already poor country, East Longmeadow PTOs are sending out an appeal to our community to help relieve some of the pain and suffering in that country. East Longmeadow has always had a reputation of responding to those in need in challenging times. We are asking the students, parents and local businesses to make a monetary donation in any amount.
The money raised will be funneled through a legitimate organization so that relief will be assured. Haiti at this time can only accept monetary donations. We are accepting donations up until Friday, January 22, 2010.
Please send cash or a check made payable to your school's PTO in an envelope marked "Haiti Relief." We thank you in advance for your generosity in helping us in this endeavor.
Mapleshade PTO...Meadow Brook PTO...Mountain View PTO
"Look at our community, look at our town . everybody has so much," Martinelli said, Let's pull together and do something."
*** Reminder Publications also contacted Birchland Park Middle School and the East Longmeadow High School to inquire if those locations were also hosting fundraising efforts for Haitian relief.
Kathleen Hill, principal of the middle school, said that an eighth grade group was organizing a collection that would be conducted during lunch periods the week of Jan. 18. Students would be asked to donate their loose change, and the proceeds would be donated to an appropriate aid agency.
A spokesperson at East Longmeadow High School said that the proceeds of the school's Jan. 15 dress down day were being donated to the local aid agency, Hands Together. Students and faculty were encouraged to donate whatever they could in a jar on the principal's counter.
