Grand Bahama,
Bahamas –
In the wake
of the natural disaster in Haiti, the teachers and students of Lucaya
International School quickly held a casual day last week Friday to raise
funds for the Save the Children Foundation to aide Haiti. At that time
they were able to raise $3,200.
In addition to this,
a parent and local company owner pledged to double what was given up
to $25,000. “We were overwhelmed by this news,” noted Chris Mockrish,
Lucaya International School Director. “We passed this news on
to our students and parents and the donations are flowing in.”
The Director and the
LIS teachers have been particularly astounded by how the students have
taken this so personally and really gotten involved. “Every
day, we witness case after case of students coming to school to fill
up our water bottle with their own money, money they have raised from
setting up lemonade stands or raiding their own personal piggy banks,
savings and allowances.” In addition to this the school parents
have begun adding their own personal and company donations to the fundraising
efforts. As of Friday the school had collected $13,959, which
meant they have raised a total of
$27,918!
In addition to the
financial donations the Director’s own wife, Lotta Mockrish, is now
in Haiti and working with Save the Children Foundation, who she has
been working with for six years. Mrs. Mockrish has been giving
the school updates on the situation in Haiti and has promised to find
other ways that the school and community can help. This includes arranging
for a trailer of supplies that parent Eddie Whan has collected for the
island into a viable port and checking on procedures for adopting Haitian
orphans for LIS families who expressed interest in opening up their
homes.
Mockrish went on to
add “I believe that what we are doing right now at LIS is truly a
special effort and a testament to our community. In the space of 5 days,
we have raised $27,918 for Save the Children, and we have witnessed
the genuine goodness of people.” Director Mockrish is new to the
island having started with the school in September 2009, he added, ”this
truly is the definition of a grass roots effort and an example of what
can be accomplished when a caring and ambitious community works together
to get something done.”
______________________________
____________
Lucaya International
School began in 1994, in a one building facility. LIS currently enrolls
231 students with 29 teachers with the student body being over 50% Bahamian.
LIS offers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years and Diploma
Programmes to best prepare its students for university. To find out
more visit the school’s website at.
www.lucayainternationalschool.
com
