Posted: Feb. 8, 2010

Menomonee Falls — The devastation in Haiti prompted the staffs and students at local schools to join the earthquake relief efforts.

At Aquinas Academy, staff asked students to do chores for charity. Each student was given the opportunity Jan. 25 through Feb. 5 to do chores for money, the amount to be determined by the parent.

"This campaign will help us as a school continue our mission to help the children grow in one of the greatest commandments of Our Lord; fraternal charity," second-grade teacher Melinda Prideaux stated in a letter to parents.

The school raised about $100 through this effort and is sending the money to Catholic Relief Services.

One week after the Jan. 12 earthquake, students at St. Anthony Catholic School raised $593 by bringing in $2 each to dress out of uniform.

"We choose that amount because 80 percent of the people in Haiti live off of $2 a day or less," second-grade teacher Katie Poshek stated in an e-mail.

The school sent its money to World Mission Ministries. One-third of the money will go to Catholic Relief Services for immediate relief, one-third to the Haitian parishes and one-third will be held for later distribution to meet long-term needs that will arise in the months that follow.

The Grace Evangelical Lutheran School Student Council organized penny wars in grades 3-year-old kindergarten through eight. The two-week "war" raised $1,186, and the school collected seven boxes of bandages and antibiotic cream, Tracy Parker, Student Council adviser and third-grade teacher stated in an e-mail.

"I am so incredibly proud of our students and families at Grace Lutheran School," Parker stated. "It should be noted that we had many children bringing in their entire piggy banks - these kids had been saving for something special and instead gave everything they had for this effort. What a blessing."

All proceeds will be donated to the efforts in Haiti through Lutheran World Relief.

Riverside Elementary School conducted a coin drive, Principal Scott Walter said in an e-mail. The school raised $500 and will donate the money to the American Red Cross through UNICEF.

"We had a simple coin drive and that is what the kids raised in a week," Walter stated.

At a glance

You can donate to the following organizations if you would like to help relief efforts in Haiti:

Catholic Relief Services: crs.org

World Mission Ministries: archmil.org/offices/world-mission.htm

Lutheran World Relief: lwr.org

UNICEF: unicef.org

American Red Cross: redcross.org