Students Form Fundraiser to Support Japan

On March 14 Sturgis students formed “Cranes for a Cause” to help support Japan’s relief efforts as its people recover and rebuild from last week’s devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami.

Ten students met at lunch on Monday, March 14 and began "Cranes for a Cause" to help support the earthquake relief efforts in Japan.

The students met during lunch on Monday and quickly decided on a fundraiser based on the ancient Japanese legend that maintains that anyone who folds a thousand paper cranes will be granted a wish or the ability to recover from accident or injury.  The students decided that they will fold a 1,000 paper cranes, which will be displayed in the school’s front window.

The students will request a minimum donation of $1, which “purchases” a square piece of colored paper. The students will then fold it into a crane. The donor can choose whether or not to write a message on the paper prior to it being folded.  All money raised will be donated to the American Red Cross.

The idea for the fundraiser came separately from junior Sarah McEwen and freshman Lily Haselton, who joined forces on Monday. There is also a connection with Barnstable High School through former student, Kai Smith, and Lily’s close friend, Claire Sawayanagi, who was born in Japan.

Lily wrote the following letter on Sunday:

“Dear Fellow Students,
We are all in shock and disbelief after learning an earthquake and huge tsunami hit Japan.  The grim statistics of the deaths increase each day.  A small country is reeling from a natural disaster of epic proportions.  The only nation on earth to already suffer from a nuclear explosion is how worrying about another hydrogen explosion from 5 nuclear reactors.  The people of Japan need our help in the months ahead.  If we each contribute just a dollar, we can make a difference.

Claire Sawayanagi and I have been neighbors in West Barnstable and friends since we were little.  Although I was born in China, people often mistake us for sisters.  We have grown closer partly because the number of Asian students on the Cape is quite small.  While Claire and her older sister Sarah’s grandparents are safe, other families are fighting just to survive.
Please help us to raise money for the American Red Cross to send to Japan. 
Thank you for your support, 

Lily Xiao Haselton (Sturgis Public Charter School) and Claire Sawayanagi (Barnstable High School)”

As of this afternoon the following Sturgis students are involved:

Lily Haselton, Kameko Simpson, Sarah McEwen, Jonathan Earle, Zach Fayne, Aryana Weathers, Liz Lozada, Brianna Juaire, Devin Lowe, and Jacob Koczwara

The faculty advisor for this project is Jeff Hyer. He can be reached at jhyer@sturgischarterschool.org