Area schools to raise money for famine relief

Ken Johnston
Editor

Rainy River High School students will do their part to help end starvation in Africa on April 5th and 6th this year when they participate in the annual World Vision 30 Hour Famine.
Last Thursday the RRHS Grade 10 Civics class invited the entire student body to the gymnasium where they showed an 11 minute video on starvation and disease in Africa. The video pointed out that in the time that it was watched by the students another 200 children died of starvation in Africa.
$365 dollars will feed a child for an entire year. RRHS raised $4,700 and Sturgeon Creek Alternative Program in Stratton raised about $7,000.
RRHS teacher Marvin MacDonald and teachers aid Michelle Tymkin said that they hope to reach their goal set last year of $5,000. That should not be as difficult as last year since they saw about a 33% increase in the number of students signing up for this year’s 30 Hour Famine. After the video which featured references to the popular reality show, Survivor Africa and appearances by pop group 98 Degrees, 80 students signed up. Last year 60 signed up after the video and 52 actually participated.
The students will be canvassing the area for sponsors. On April 5th and 6th they will be spending 30 hours at RRHS where they will eat nothing and drink only juice the entire time. The civics class has planned activities for the famine that will include sports, games and other fun. The students will also sleep in the gym that night.
In RRHS Civics students learn about government and getting involved in their community. The 30 Hour Famine is a way for them to do just that.
Last year 175,000 people participated in the famine across Canada. It is hoped that $5 million will be raised this year.