New Bern High students come through for Haiti

Pocket change collected by New Bern High School students last month for Haitian earthquake victims amounted to the largest single donation to the Coastal Carolina Chapter of the American Red Cross for Haiti when the money was matched by an anonymous donor.

Willie Sumner, theater teacher and the school’s student government adviser, presented a $5,167.35 check to the American Red Cross chapter on Wednesday surrounded by students who had helped with the project.

 “They didn’t want people to forget or give up,” Sumner said, explaining that the students started the collections at lunch in the school cafeteria over two weeks last month when they noticed the media’s coverage of relief efforts in the island-nation was on the decline.

The students set a goal of raising $1,800, but then an anonymous donor agreed to match what they had raised, and then they didn’t stop until they had raised more than $5,000.

“They’re struggling so much over there, and any relief helps,” said New Bern High freshman Dorant Mangum, the vice president for freshmen on the Student Council who helped with the collections.

Robert Toler, emergency services director for the American Red Cross chapter, said the donations from the chapter’s four-county service area is now at almost $40,000, which is the largest collection from a chapter from Rocky Mount to the Outer Banks.

The money will go to food, clothing, water or other needs of the people in Haiti, he said.

“Thank you for making so much money, it’s amazing what you’ve done,” he said to the students.

Laura Oleniacz can be reached at 252-635-5675 or at loleniacz@freedomenc.com.