Fall 2005 PDF - Milton Academy

OnCentreStudents’ Gala Nets $10,000 for Tsunami Victims“Figuring out the total of whatwe had raised was overwhelming,”said Alex Desaulniers ‘07,of Rockland, Maine. The studentTsunami Relief Coalition cappedits semester-long fund-raisingefforts with a gala event inKellner Performing Arts Center’sPieh Commons, raising morethan $10,000 that was directedto Habitat for HumanityInternational, for new housingin the tsunami-affected areas.The students’ efforts started onthe first day back at School afterwinter break.“I live on the coast,” Alex said.“So do my grandparents and myaunt and uncle. All I could thinkwas if something like that happenedto me, I would hopesomeone would help me out—with a house, at least. I watchedthe small tents going up andthought about people crowdinginto them to live for months andmonths. Housing is such a basicneed.”Susannah Burrage ’07 and SaraPulit ’05 returned to School withthe same drive to help. The threegirls consulted with AndreaGeyling, faculty community servicedirector, Hope Rupley, studentactivities director, and withstudents from other concernedclubs and activity groups, andthe Tsunami Relief Coalitionformed. Students began raisingfunds immediately.The group, however, did notwant the idea of the victims’need to disappear over the wintermonths, knowing that itwould remain urgent. Theypicked May for the gala, thendivided into committees to carryout the work of a spectacularnight with great food and studententertainment. The groupmet every Friday throughout thewinter and spring to keep tabson the details that would makethe evening a success.“More people came than I everthought would—boarding studentsand parents, day studentsand parents—and they had agreat time,” Alex said. The jazzcombo played and so did “TinSiblings” (a student chambergroup); Alison Brace played thepiano, and Steve Wagner playedthe violin. Donations from localvendors and faculty bakers supplementedthe School food servicefor the gala fare.Alex knew that the $10,000 totalfrom tickets, the raffle, the silentauction, donations, and earlierclub fund raisers would helpHabitat for Humanity extend thework of house-building in animportant way. Groups whoseefforts contributed to the totalincluded: Young Republicans,Asian Society, Middle School,Jewish Student Union andChristian Fellowship, CommonGround, Community Service,F.L.A.G. (Young Democrats) andTheatre Tech Crew.The Tsunami Relief Coalition at Milton: back row, left to right: Alison Brace, Jessica Heitman, Rachel Bechek, AlexandraDesaulniers, Rachel Konowitz, Susannah Burrage, JungMin Lee, Olivia Greene, Rachel Nagy; front row, left to right:Zachary Schwab, Lara Yeo, Ali Martin, Alicia Driscoll.54 Milton Magazine