MHS students raise money to help with Haiti earthquake relief

From left to right, Haley Evans, Abbey Hartley, Payton Ehrhardt, Mike Odneal of the American Red Cross, Ariel Smith, Amy Van and Haley Witcher. The Marshall High School sophomore girls present $1,600 they raised to the American Red Cross for relief efforts in Haiti after a major earthquake occurred there in January. (Sydney Stonner/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

Sophomore Ariel Smith, one of the event organizers, said she and her friends are no strangers to charitable works.

"In sixth grade, we did a project to raise money for the tsunami," she said.

Then, the group of about six girls made and sold coasters and other trinkets designed out of plastic fusible beads melted together with an iron, and they were inspired to do good again when another disaster struck.

Now that they're older, the girls decided a spaghetti dinner fundraiser would be a good way to raise money for Haiti. They struck out on their own, not wanting to wait for others to get something else organized.

"Our school wasn't doing anything at first," Payton Ehrhardt said.

With the help of a lot of friends and family, the dinner raised a total of $1,600, which the girls then donated to the American Red Cross.

They hope their donation will "just ... help the people who've lost everything," Haley Evans said.

The other main organizers were Abbey Hartley, Haley Witcher and Amy Van. The girls also named Allea Summers, Allie Bockstetter, Allee Barton, Skylar Simpson, Kirsten Kelly, Haidyn Townsend, Jodi Harlow, Becca Ashford, Cody Samson and MHS teacher Paul Gieringer as people who helped with the event.

Local businesses Walmart, Patricia's Foods, Cargill, Domino's Pizza and McDonald's donated to the event, and Christian Church members provided desserts.

Contact Sydney Stonner at marshallbusiness@socket.net