Pennies, Pen-Pals Make International Connection
by James Mitchell, Hometown Life, Michigan, June 15, 2006
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The little things added up: Change earned by household chores, contributions sought from friends and relatives. Along the way, the students were introduced to children named Kavitha, Suganthini and Thurjayimi.
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If it's the little things that count, they certainly add up to a lot.
A contest waged mostly by pennies at Centennial Middle School last month raised more than $1,500 for VeAhavta, the non-profit organization that established Grace Care Center. The children's home in Trincomalee was informally adopted by this community during last year's South Lyon to Sri Lanka campaign. Thanks to teacher Erin Whaley, the connection made from student-to-student continues. Along with the pennies, Centennial students have become pen-pals with children at Grace Care Center. Last week, sixth graders Lauren Berger and Daniele Heiss received letters from abroad.
Daniele said she is learning to pronounce the names of her pen pals, and early communications include talk of favorite colors, hobbies, sports, and number of siblings. From their teacher, Lauren said the students have learned about the struggles facing Sri Lanka's north and east, and amid a civil war the tsunami was not necessarily the worst thing to happen there.
South Lyon became involved with the orphanage in the aftermath of the Dec. 26, 2004 Asian tsunami. A fund-raising campaign raised more than $22,000 for VeAhavta (www.you-shall-love.org), and Whaley made her first trip to Sri Lanka last August. At the time, recovering from the tsunami seemed the most pressing concern facing Trincomalee and Grace Care Center.
During her second visit in February 2006, Whaley learned that the children of Sri Lanka face an uncertain future. A fragile cease fire to a 20-year civil war was signed in 2003. Some hoped that the tsunami would reunite a divided nation, but tensions rose, first in February and again in recent months.
Since April, more than 400 soldiers and civilians have been killed in attacks credited to both sides of the conflict.
Whaley expects to return to Grace Care Center, after a school year spent introducing her South Lyon students to their same-age counterparts on the other side of the planet. Whaley said her students are curious about the struggles facing Sri Lanka's children.
"As soon as I start talking about, 'My girls,' they're interested," Whaley said.
As delicately as possible, Whaley explained a world that can be difficult to understand in middle America. The need, though, was obvious, and the participating classes agreed to use this year's Penny Wars as a fund-raiser for VeAhavta.
The little things added up: Change earned by household chores, contributions sought from friends and relatives. Along the way, the students were introduced to children named Kavitha, Suganthini and Thurjayimi. One of her students sent a birthday invitation to Grace Care Center; an impossible engagement to attend, but, like the pennies, it was the thought that counted.
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