The American Red Cross of Massachusetts Bay, visited Somerville High School to accept a large check to support the relief efforts in Haiti. ~Photo by Bobbie Toner By Cathleen Twardzik On February 5th, Lauretta Siggers, Chief Community Service and Human Resources Officer for the American Red Cross of Massachusetts Bay, visited Somerville High School to accept a large check to support the relief efforts in Haiti. The check was accepted at that location because of "18 seniors in the Health Careers program, who spearheaded this week-long fundraising effort which raised [just over] $1,500," said Gretchen Kinder, Coordinator of Research and Development, Information and Grants for the Somerville Public Schools.

"I know a lot of people at Somerville High School who are Haitian and were affected by the incident. There are still some students who don't know where their family members are. The emotion at Somerville High School has been high because the earthquake has affected so many of our friends. We also knew that a lot of people here really didn't understand what the earthquake really meant for Haiti," said Jackie Borelli, a student organizer at Somerville High School.

The students created fact sheets and posters, which explained the tragedy's actual impact on that nation. At lunchtime, they ran tables for its discussion with fellow students and asked for donations to the cause. That large sum of money only took five days to raise, according to Jackie.

The most important part of the Red Cross involvement with Somerville High School and the relief efforts in Haiti was "having a community of young people willing to fundraise funds and create awareness amongst their students – to recognize what happened in Haiti, and seeing their excitement and commitment for a good cause," said Siggers.

According to Siggers, the local chapter of the Red Cross "has deployed an employee, Luis Matnog, to respond to the relief efforts in Haiti. Our chapter has also directly donated 150 cots for the health facilities in Haiti."

However, on a national level, the organization has "provided relief supplies for approximately 130,000 people (26,000 families)," which contained hygiene kits, kitchen sets, buckets, jerry cans to carry water, blankets, tarps and mosquito nets – as well as the donation of over $70 million to the relief efforts.

Aside from the check acceptance, the ceremony consisted of The American Red Cross presentation of "a certificate of thanks to the senior class of Somerville High School."

Further, "The Public Schools have been working, in collaboration with the Somerville Haitian Coalition and the City of Somerville, to support city-wide fundraising and other relief efforts," said Kinder.

At each school, individuals will find collection boxes, as well as at the Parent Information Center. Students received information to bring home, according to Kinder. More details about those collections are available at http://www.somerville.k12.ma.us/haiti.

"In addition, students and staff are spontaneously responding to the crisis," she said. For example, "Kennedy School students have raised nearly $1,000, [by] selling handmade pins. Brown School students raised $1,300 for UNICEF, [by] selling used books."

Moreover, the Healey School has been holding "facilitated conversations with students to process the earthquake."

Work has begun to build sister school relationships, once rebuilding is in progress.

Finally, "At present, we are endorsing an effort, by the Somerville Haitian Coalition, to collect medical supplies to take to Haiti in March," said Kinder.