The LCMS Junior Beta Club recently raised $1,200 to help the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. The two students who spearheaded the “Quarter Drive” were Charity Drinkard (l) and Erin Thornton. They are shown here with Tonya Burt, club advisor. “I had been thinking about doing something but had no idea as to how to proceed when Erin Thornton and Charity Drinkard burst into my room,” said Tonya Burt, advisor for the LCMS Junior Beta Club.

“Erin and Charity, who are both Junior Beta Club members, were insistent about raising funds for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. They had a plan, which involved placing cans for donations in each middle school classroom for a period of two weeks.

“After the money was counted, it was determined that the Junior Beta Club will contribute $1,200 to the people of Haiti via the American Red Cross on behalf of the students, faculty, and staff at LCMS,” according to Burt.

Also, with a total of $364, Leigh Aycock’s class raised the most money during the “Quarter Drive.” The students were rewarded with a pizza party, sponsored by Michelle’s Pizza in McCormick.

Second place went to the students in Ken Hayes’ class, who donated $279 toward the cause. As a reward, the students enjoyed free ice cream at lunch.

In her comments, Burt said, “We would like to thank all those who supported us in our effort to help those in need. A special thank-you to Erin and Charity for spearheading the project.”

The other Junior Beta Club advisors are Patty Arthur and Stacey Radford.

In her remarks, Erin said, “I was devastated when I learned Haiti had been hit by an earthquake. I was really shocked when I found out how many had been hurt or killed.

“A few days after we had been talking about the earthquake in social studies class, Charity looked at me, and I looked at her. It was as if we were thinking the same thing. The whole country of Haiti has gone under so we decided to help.”

As for Charity, she said, “The people of Haiti are in poor condition. It is my duty a citizen of the United States of American and as a member of the Junior Beta Club to help out as much as I can.

“I do not like to see people in bad condition – children in particular. They are my brothers and sisters in Christ, and I feel that God put it on my heart to reach out and help. Therefore, I did whatever I could to help the people of Haiti.

“Tears came to my eyes when I saw the poor little babies and children suffer – that’s what motivated me to go on with this fund-raiser.”

Both Charity and Erin are in the seventh grade at LCMS.