PENNIES FOR PATIENTS
As you know, developing leadership, community service, and good citizenship skills within each of our students is one of our primary goals at Hope Hall.

Our students are very excited about two new projects that will enable them to practice compassion and citizenship through service to others.

The first project is called Pennies for Leukemia.  This is part of a national effort to help find a cure for this disease which kills so many, especially among the children.  Funds from this project will go toward research and toward direct help for children who have leukemia and their families, including those who are underinsured and can’t afford the expensive medications.

This project is very short.  It began on Wednesday, January 24th and will end Monday February 12th.

In addition to collecting change for their homeroom “banks”, students, faculty, and staff are having some “Friday Fun.”

January 26th was “wear your favorite sweatshirt and hat to Fight Leukemia”
February 2nd was “Dress for your favorite football team to Fight Leukemia”
February 9th will be “Dress up to Fight Leukemia”

In order to participate in each event, students and teachers will have to purchase a special “I’m fighting Leukemia” ticket for $1.00.  All money will go towards this project.  Tickets were sold by members of Hope Hall’s Rotary Youth Act Club, which is coordinating this project.

If you would like to participate in this project, please send your loose change, paper money, or checks to Hope Hall.  We’ll count and roll all coins and send one large check from the school.  If you want to contribute by check, please make your check payable to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  All money must be received by Tuesday, February 13th.  Thanks for helping our children to help other children.  This is a powerful lesson in what citizenship, in its finest sense, is all about.

Our second project, which begins on Wednesday, February 14th and will continue until Thursday, April 5th, is our Water for Sudan project, which is being done in partnership with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Rochester.

The country of Sudan has been experiencing extreme drought conditions for many years.  What little water there is on the surface of Sudan is filled with harmful bacteria.  Every day each person tries to survive on one cup of this water.  This cup is all there is for drinking or washing.  Every day hundreds die from dehydration or diseases from the bacteria in the water.

However, there is hope.  There is fresh water deep in the ground of the Sudan.  For $5,000, a well can be dug that will bring fresh water to 4000-6000 people.

Under the inspiring leadership of Salva Dut, a former refugee, Water for Sudan has drilled seven wells in South Sudan that are bringing clean drinking water to 26,000 men, women, and children.  Water for Sudan trains the local people to operate and maintain the wells, empowering local community involvement and responsibility.     In 2006, Water for Sudan purchased its own drilling equipment.  Not having to rely on contractors reduces significantly the cost of drilling each well.

The Sisters of St. Joseph have committed themselves to raising $5,000 for a well.  The students in the Rotary Youth Act Group voted unanimously to help them raise that money.  The entire Hope Hall community agreed at a Community meeting to support this project.

We will be doing many activities to help raise money for the well between February 14th and April 5th.  If you would like to support our efforts and bring fresh water to the people of Sudan, you can send us the equivalent of what you’d pay for one bottle of water or one cup of coffee.  If you really want to make a difference, send us the amount of what a daily bottle of water or cup of coffee would cost you for a week.