Fort Craig fourth grade students raise $959 for Haiti

Representing Fort Craig students who had a fundraiser for Haiti are, from left, Ramsey Owens, Chris Davis with the Blount County Chapter of the American Red Cross, teacher Mary Liford and Elisabeth Campbell.

When Mary Liford’s fourth grade students at Fort Craig School of Dynamic Learning saw news reports of the earthquake devastation in Haiti, they wanted to do something to help. Liford thought the students had a good thought, but didn’t want to burden parents with an expensive fundraiser, especially with the sluggish economy.

Bake sales, however, are usually a win-win situation. So early in the week of Jan. 19, Liford sent a letter home with each of the 60 students in the three fourth grade classrooms and asked parents to bake something for a Haiti bake sale. Parents brought their baked goods in the following Thursday.

The next day was Family Gathering, a weekly event held in the gym at Fort Craig. Students set up the bake sale tables and sold the goodies. Before school was out for the day, the other Fort Craig students were invited to come to the gym at 2:30 so they could shop as well.

“In one day we raised $959 and 12 cents,” said Liford. “I could not believe it. I would have been thankful if we could have raised $100.”

On Jan. 28, Chris Davis of the Blount County Chapter of American Red Cross, stopped by the school and accepted funds on behalf of the Red Cross response in Haiti.