By now everyone is aware of the success of the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) sponsored “Pounds Around the Fountain” event that took place on Friday, January 29, 2010. It surpassed our hopes and expectations with an amazing final tally of 2250.00 GBP.

DRF high school students along with Fran Bidwell, Lynne Trotti and several parent volunteers braved the frigid rainy weather last Friday to supervise this fundraising event. The response from the students was overwhelming. In groups large and small, the students came throughout the morning and into the afternoon placing their pound coins side by side to form a ring around the ACS fountain. It seemed a daunting mission at first and one that might not be fully completed. So many coins were needed and the weather was not on our side. But as the steady stream of students, teachers, administrators and parents appeared throughout the morning with their gold coins in hand it became apparent that the dream of making one complete circle might just come true……

By early afternoon, as the circle inched its way around the base of the fountain, lower school students marveled at the sight of so many gold coins. “There must be a hundred!” One boy exclaimed. “A lot more than that,” we replied. “A million!” he screamed. “Well, not quite that many,” we answered. “A thousand!” his final guess. That was closer to the truth. Middle school students were busy calculating the exact number of coins using their mathematical skills and several inquisitive teachers and administrators could be seen doing their own mental math computations. The high school students were stunned and impressed when the first loop closed and the second “circle” began on the upper level. Their succinct response, “Cool!”

But just as touching as the coins themselves, were some of the stories behind them. A second grade boy emptied out his piggy bank giving all his savings, including his tooth fairy money, to the Haiti Appeal. It appeared that other young students also dipped into their personal savings as they came up with a variety of coins to donate. One lower school boy held out his hand with a 50 pence piece and said, “This is all I have. Is this okay?” A group of middle and high school students fasted and donated the money they would have normally spent on those meals to “Pounds”. Not only did they raise money for Haiti but they also felt what it was like to go hungry as so many thousands of Haitians experience each day now.
In addition to Pounds Around the Fountain, the other ACS fundraising events have included the very successful Middle School bake sales, Namibia grilled cheese/waffles, and a fourth grade boy who raised money by playing his guitar over the weekend. High School students sold glass blown “Hearts for Haiti’, and the 6th grade Girl Scout Troop of 11 girls raised £50 selling "Angels for Haiti", which are angel ornaments used as necklaces, bookmarks or lanyard/phone charms. The girls made these and sold them during the Middle School bake sale. ACS Parent, Allan Scott is fundraising with weight loss sponsors and Heywood House sponsored a raffle. Additionally, many generous private donations to the various collection baskets and car park drop off at ACS have been made. Collectively, these donations have more than doubled the initial fundraising objective of 3,000 GBP! As of February 4, Fran Bidwell, co-chair of DRF, calculated, “7,200 pounds and still counting!” Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) and the UK Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), are the DRF’s designated charities for this disaster. Total donations of approximately £11,000 (at this writing) will help the agencies to supply emergency medical equipment and personnel along with food supplies and other necessary items to the earthquake victims. An additional donation is being made to Partners in Health, a medical organization led by Dr. Paul Farmer, which has been established in Haiti for over 20 years.

Thank you ACS students and community for your generous spirit of giving and support!