March 4, 2020
By Julia Glowacki
Staff Writer
Brownies, cookies, cupcakes and other sugary treats caught the attention of students and faculty when entering the school on Jan. 27-31. Throughout the week, the Animal Welfare Club, Art Club and Environmental Club teamed up to raise over $400 to help koalas and other animals affected by the fires in Australia. This money comes in addition to the approximately $250 the Animal Welfare Club raised from a staff dress down day on Jan. 17.
On Feb. 10, members of the three clubs voted to donate all of the fundraised money to Port Macquarie Koala Hospital in Port Macquarie, Australia. Port Macquarie Koala Hospital treats injured koalas by providing them with fresh water from automatic drinking stations in the fire-affected regions. It also plans to establish a breeding program called Koala Ark, which will consist of a genetically diverse population of koalas monitored by the hospital, according to ABC.
Co-advisor Miss Rendzia said students made a good decision in the charity they selected.
“We chose this organization because 100 percent of the money raised goes to wildlife preservation,” Rendzia said.
She said the hospital is also using the donations it receives to purchase a water-carrying vehicle with firefighting capabilities to replenish the drinking stations when they require more water. “This way, not only those beautiful koalas will be getting helped, but all the animals in the fire region will benefit from our fundraising,” Rendzia said.
She said the idea for the bake sale came as a result of her exposure to the media’s coverage of the fires in Australia.“I actually try not to look at the images because they make me so very sad,” Rendzia said. “The fact that koalas were struggling to survive prior to the wildfires is heartbreaking enough as their natural habitat—eucalyptus trees—are being chopped down at an alarming rate.”
“The fact that koalas were struggling to survive prior to the wildfires is heartbreaking enough as their natural habitat—eucalyptus trees—are being chopped down at an alarming rate.”
According to a Feb. 25 NBC report, the fires have affected 27 million acres of land, and scientists estimate more than a billion individual animals have died as a result. NBC reported that just at the wildlife sanctuary Kangaroo Island off the coast of Adelaide, Australia, 50,000 koalas have perished.
Rendzia said in Jan. 2019, she and her daughter Raina took a trip to the San Diego Zoo where they saw some koalas. She said that experience led her to feel a special connection to the species.
“Although they have super sharp nails and will use them if they feel threatened, koalas look so soft and fuzzy and adorable,” Rendzia said. “And when a female koala has a baby joey in her pouch or on her back, there is nothing cuter.”
Rendzia said co-advisor Mr. Carucci and club president sophomore Madison Echols were both supportive when she shared her idea about hosting a bake sale. Then, the Art Club and Environmental Club members also got involved to offer assistance. Rendzia said media technician Mrs. DeForge also helped with the fundraiser by providing space in the media center’s kitchen to store the baked goods and making sure the sellers had change to break up large bills.
Rendzia said on each day of the bake sale, at least four students brought in homemade baked goods and other club members brought in baked items they had purchased. She said at least three sellers signed up each day to table-sit before school, during lunch and after school.
Carucci said he was happy with the outcome of the bake sale.
“I don’t think we had expected to raise as much money as we did,” Carucci said. “I would say we certainly reached our goal. I think, if anything, we can probably say we surpassed the goal.”
Carucci said he was impressed by the LHS community’s generosity.
“People were giving and not even taking items, just like contributing dollar amounts to the cause,” Carucci said.
Like Carucci, sophomore Stephanie Cerrito, who has been a club member since last year, said she considers the bake sale to have been a success.
“This bake sale was purely for the good of the animals in Australia, and I think that really motivated people to donate,” Cerrito said. “I want[ed] people to be aware, to join our club and to help these animals.”
Cerrito volunteered to table-sit for two out of the five days. She also donated $15 to the fundraiser.
“It is great to know that what we are doing is helping the animals affected by the fires. Any little bit helps,” Cerrito said. “It is a wonderful feeling to know that my small contribution made a huge difference.”
PHOTO BY MISS RENDZIA
Members of the Animal Welfare Club, Art Club and Environmental Club joined together to raise money to help animals impacted by the fires in Australia. The money they raised will be going to the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital in Port Macquarie, Australia.
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