WCPSS and Wake PTA Council launch Wake Kids for Katrina
September 1, 2005 - Wake County families will be able to work through their schools to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
$293,928.16 Raised
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Helping Children After a Natural Disaster: Information for Parents and Teachers (70 KB Acrobat File)
"Wake Kids for Katrina" will take place in Wake County public schools Sept. 12-23 organized by the Wake County Public School System and the Wake County PTA Council.
"Wake Kids for Katrina" encourages WCPSS schools to develop their own fund raising efforts and coordinate with their PTA leaders collections and disbursement to the Red Cross. Persons wanting to donate can make checks payable to the American Red Cross with "Wake Kids for Katrina" in the memo section.
"The devastation along the Gulf coast shocks us all," said Superintendent Bill McNeal. "We know our community has been touched by the tragedy we see continuing to unfold in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi and will want to respond. Helping each other through hard times is an important lesson for our students to learn."
"We can join together to help our children see how they can respond to this crisis," said Derrick Byrd, Wake County PTA Council President. "We want to provide all children an avenue to show that they can make a difference helping others in need. Teaching our children to care about others is important."
Katrina was a category IV hurricane with powerful winds and a devastating storm surge when it struck the Gulf coast Monday. Katrina knocked down homes and businesses, taking lives, flooding communities and leaving many families without shelter, power or potable water. It may take weeks for floodwaters to recede and debris to be removed so that people can safely return to their communities. It could be months before students there return to school.
"This is a teachable moment. Our schools are creative and we'll see our teachers, students and parents working together to help students learn from the activities they develop as well as teaching them to act on their convictions," McNeal said. "Our thoughts and prayers will be with all those who are suffering through this tragedy and we hope to quickly provide some money to help as many as possible."
WCPSS will post on its website contact information for each school, as well as information about individual school efforts.
Earlier this year, schools raised thousands of dollars for tsunami victims. Schools held pancake breakfasts, sold donuts, auctioned student-made ceramics and sold calendars featuring student artwork raising money that went to relief agencies.
In 2001, an effort in several schools led to the WCPSS Pennies for Patriotism fund drive that raised more than $85,000 donated to the United Way in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington. In all Sept 11 relief efforts, WCPSS contributed more than $174,000.
In 1999, WCPSS spearheaded a school-to-school relief effort dubbed to help eastern North Carolina schools, students and their families affected by Hurricane Floyd. Donations of water, school supplies, and money were made at WCPSS schools and community drop-off sites and were delivered directly to eastern North Carolina schools.
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