SHS Students Help Haiti

Scarsdale High School (SHS) students are volunteering to help with the relief efforts of the devastating earthquake that rocked Haiti January 12th.

Richard Clark, SHS's track and field coach, organized a track team run to help raise funds for Haiti. The event took place January 23rd and lasted 1.5 hours. "It was open to everyone.  We had four non-track students participate. There were 70 people involved and over 800 sponsors."

"After seeing the devastation and dumping of bodies in mass graves, I was really shaken," he admitted. "I called  staff member Neal Ginsberg on Thursday night and we got together a meeting of teachers on the Tuesday after  Martin Luther King (MLK ) day and asked if the team could host a fundraiser by doing a run for Haiti.  The participants ran laps and we counted them; they were sponsored for $1-20 per laps."  "Approximately over 1,000 laps in total were run. They enthusiastically agreed. The kids organized the event; especially the senior class." 

"Over $19,000 was raised; the total amount is now $19,083.02," he said. The money was donated to the American Red Cross Haitian Relief Fund.

Danielle Butin, Founder of the Afya Foundation (an organization that ships medical supplies to Africa and other troubled nations) and a 1981 SHS graduate, is working with the SHS student volunteers on relief efforts to Haiti.

She discussed how the students are getting involved in the project to help the people there.

"The SHS students have been incredible," she said. "They are collecting targeted supplies, fund-raising and coming to the warehouse to help us sort, pack and label hundreds of boxes of vitally needed medical and humanitarian supplies."

Some took on the role of labeling boxes, while others help to stack boxes on pallets for shipment, she explained.

"Their help alone has enabled us to get hundreds of boxes out of our warehouse and on sea vessels for Haiti. They come to the warehouse with friends and family–it's amazing to see these teenagers involved, truly involved and invested in social action!" she said.

From February 9 through the 12th Butin visited Haiti herself to get an idea of what and where the demand would be for a 20-person medical team Afya plans to bring down to the country in March.

"We will also travel with two to three 40-foot containers of rehab supplies, so this team can match individual needs to wheelchairs, crutches, canes, et cetera," she said.

"The greatest need right now is for medical/surgical help, so we will not be bringing SHS volunteers with us, but they will play a strong role in helping us to prepare the supplies for this effort."

With all the volunteers and financial sponsorship from the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee for shipment of containers Afya has sent ten 40-foot containers of supplies to Haiti since Jan. 12, and has packed for four airlifts (the most recent of which accompanied President Clinton on his flight to Haiti).

Butin said that the relief effort is a marathon, and it will take years of care and access to repair and restore thousands of peoples' lives.

"We are incredibly grateful to the Scarsdale community and their amazing teenagers for their support and investment in building access for those in great despair and need," said Butin.

SHS has many clubs that perform volunteer service. Many of these clubs have recently started initiatives to contribute to the people of Haiti.  The Volunteer Service Awards Ceremony will be held on May 10th at 7:30 PM. Students who perform a minimum of 20 hours a week are eligible to receive this award.