Schools and churches finding ways to raise money for tsunami victims

Area efforts to help victims of last month's tsunamis in Asia range from school drives to Sunday collections at churches.

Notre Dame Regional High School students raised $5,600 by allowing students to wear plain clothes instead of uniforms in return for a donation. The money will help a Franciscan orphanage in Sri Lanka that, while undamaged by the tsunami, now houses 3,000 refugees.

"It's really been wonderful to assist with this," said principal Brother David Migliorino. "All the money raised goes directly to provide food, shelter and water for the victims."

For those who wish to help, the mailing address is Franciscan Brothers, Trinity Friary, 200 Gold St., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201.

Other school efforts underway include a competitive penny campaign at Cape Christian School that will end Jan. 14.

"As of Thursday we'd raised $827.75," principal Beverly Smart said. "The class that loses has to pick an individual from that class to kiss a frog."

South Elementary librarian Susan Skelton is using students' library time to seek funds for the American Red Cross. By means of a Web site with photos and a marked globe indicating where the funds will go, Skelton helps children understand the magnitude of the tsunami's damage. Collections go into a five-gallon water jug.

Meanwhile, area churches are using Sunday collections to help tsunami victims.

Cape LaCroix Methodist Church, New McKendree United Methodist Church and other Southeast Missouri Methodist churches are taking up Sunday collections followed by mass mailings enabling members to participate in the United Methodist Committee On Relief. More information is available at www.moumethodist.org.

First Presbyterian Church in Jackson is also taking weekly collections. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the relief agency of the Presbyterian Church (USA), has so far dispatched $320,000 for tsunami victims. Its Web site is www.pcusa.org/pda.

St. Andrew Lutheran Church members, through door collections, are contributing to two agencies: Lutheran World Relief and Orphans in His Care, which helps an orphanage that cares for children displaced by Sri Lanka's 20-year civil war.

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans has established a nationwide $2 million matching grant program. Thrivent Financial member donations to Lutheran World Relief will be matched dollar for dollar through April 15.

Schnucks is planning a live radio broadcast drive for donations inside the store lobby from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Jan. 17. Proceeds will go to the American Red Cross.

cpagano@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133