Students issue fundraising challenge

Students issue fundraising challenge

By Kristy Brownlee QMI Agency

Students at an Edmonton-area school are sending their hearts out to Haiti for Valentine’s Day.

Touched by the earthquake that struck the Caribbean island last Tuesday, Calmar Secondary student Cadence Mutch asked her teachers if instead of exchanging candy grams, students could buy paper hearts with proceeds going to Haitian relief.

“I was hoping to make their lives a little easier since their lives are so hard done by,” said 12-year-old Mutch, founder of the Hearts for Haiti fundraiser.

Starting Wednesday, students can buy a heart for $1, write a message on it and hang it in the school gym. All money raised will be donated to the Canadian Red Cross.

Mutch, who turns 13 on Valentine’s Day, first began charitable efforts when she was seven years old.

Instead of birthday gifts, Mutch said she requested donations be made to help victims of the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami that devastated Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and India on Dec. 26, 2004.

Calmar Secondary is also challenging other schools to hold their own fundraisers and contribute to the cause.