Hands Helping Haiti at Richmond Public School

John Curry

February 4, 2010

RICHMOND - You have got to hand it to the students and staff at Richmond Public School. They have come through for Haiti in a big way.

Just how big? How about $4,153.45. And all this from a kindergarten to grade five school with 198 students.

Following the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the students and staff of the school launched a fundraising project called Hands Helping Haiti. It was a four day project that was not only a fundraising initiative but also was geared to help every student realize that he or she could make a difference in helping Haiti.

The project was launched with a slide show about the earthquake, following which each student was asked to think of something that could be done around the home to earn money which could then be donated to the Canadian Red Cross to help in Haitian relief efforts.

Each student took home a Hands Helping Haiti sheet on which there was a space in which the student could draw a picture of the household task that could be done, with the parents asked to consider making a donation once the task or tasks were completed.

These household tasks ranged from setting the table to doing the dishes to walking the dog and much more.

In addition, Friday, Jan. 22 was declared Wear A Hat For Haiti Day at the school. Students could purchase the privilege to wear a hat in school for the day with a one dollar donation.

This all culminated in a wrap up assembly at the school on Wednesday, Jan. 27 when Lana Kuduzovic of the Ottawa branch of the Canadian Red Cross visited the school to accept a giant cheque for $4,153.45 for Haitian relief from the school.

“Your help will go a long way,” she told the assembled students, thanking them on behalf of the Red Cross. These funds will be matched by the federal government.

Richmond Public School principal Wally Stagg was overwhelmed with the generosity exhibited by the students and their families, calling the students “the most wonderful kids in the Ottawa area.”

Richmond Public School teacher Jeananne Gilchrist, who spearheaded the school project, also praised the students for turning their hands into helping hands for Haiti.

“All of you went out and did tremendous things,” she told them at the assembly.

She said that the students raised a lot of money in four days because “we all have big hearts.”

And who were some of these students with big hearts?

Grade four student Jack Boytel cleaned up his bedroom, did the dishes and laundry and shoveled snow. He delivered two jars filled with coins to the school, all to help the people in Haiti.

Grade one student Emily Gilchrist set the table at home and made her bed every morning, all “to help Haiti get food, shelter, water and space.”

“It made me feel good,” the six year old said about her fundraising efforts.

Grade one student Curtis Hermans made his bed and took out the garbage to help Haiti while fellow grade one student Daniel Leblanc not only did his homework but did an extra household chore in helping his mother clean the kitchen floor, raising $14 for Haiti.

Grade five student Danielle Hood swept and vacuumed the house and cleaned the sink, all to help Haiti which was “crushed” by the earthquake.

Grade three student Emilie Nairn is a pet lover who has five pets – yes, five pets (two birds, a cat, a dog and a hamster). She earned money not only by feeding her pets but by doing the dishes and making her bed. She did it “to help Haiti because Haiti already was a poor country and then they had the earthquake.”

Hailey Judd-Lunt, a grade four student, helped do the laundry at home. She not only raised funds to help Haiti but she discovered that she felt nice because she was helping others.

All of the students at Richmond Public School did similar household tasks and chores to raise money for this Hands Helping Haiti project. Kindergarten pupils, for instance, washed dishes, took out garbage, cleaned up bedrooms, made their beds and cleaned the basement, among other things.

And the students all did these fundraising chores and tasks knowing that their hands were helping others in Haiti. They showed that they cared about Haiti and they learned that caring about others and helping them is an important part of life. They learned that they can make a difference.