After a conference call with Chatelech Secondary School alumnus Kai Nestman, who is currently on an exchange in Thailand, students at Chat became connected with an orphanage in Sri Lanka that needs their help.
The conference call last Wednesday had Nestman talk to the leadership students and some teachers at Chat about what action he thinks needs to be taken in the areas affected by the recent tsunami.
"He recommended we do something in the short term and develop a long-term goal," said Chatelech vice principal Ann Skelcher.Students quickly started a donation drive at their school and sent nearly $1,000 to the Red Cross this week.
Now they are starting on their long-term goal, which involves supporting an orphanage in Sri Lanka that previous vice-principal Rohan Arul-pragasam has a connection to.
"Mr. Arul-pragasam is from Sri Lanka, and we contacted him," Skelcher said.
He said his family and friends in the area are okay but his brother is connected to an orphanage in South Colombo, Sri Lanka, that was devastated by the disaster.
"All of the children were saved, but the orphanage is wiped out," Skelcher said.
Students decided to partner with the orphanage and start raising money to send to them on a regular basis to help aid in rebuilding the site and taking care of the children's needs.
They are calling their fundraising effort Ride the Wave of Hope. Students have created hemp bracelets with a single blue bead signifying the name.
"Now the students are selling the bracelets at the school, and 100 per cent of the money raised will go to the orphanage," said Skelcher.
This latest effort by Chat students accompanies many fundraisers for tsunami relief underway on the Coast. Dozens of businesses and citizens have also stepped forward to make donations to the Red Cross through the Coast Reporter. More than $24,000 was collected by Jan. 11. That money will be matched by the federal government.