Elem. students contribute to relief efforts

The events of Sept. 11 have caused many people to take action in one way or another. Rory Bertram, a fourth-grader in Julie Wood's class at Peachtree City Elementary School, did so in a big way.

The day following the tragic events, Bertram approached school Principal Lynda Lambeth with an idea. "We should raise enough money to send one of the school's staff members to New York City to help rescue people," he said.

Lambeth liked the idea of raising funds but knew the rescue work should be done by professionals. She suggested that the money be donated to the American Red Cross.

The students poured their hearts into the project, and more than $4,000 was collected in an eight-day period.

Several students played a special part in this activity. Christy Keyser, a fifth-grader in Dorothy Cannin's classroom, created handmade flag pins using safety pins and beads and sold them to staff members and parents. She donated the money to the fund-raiser. Charlene Phanco, the school's enrichment teacher, involved her students by counting all of the coins and dollar bills every morning.

Ruben Brown of the American Red Cross' South Metro Service Center came to the school Wednesday to accept a check from Bertram. Brown participated in a video broadcast that will be shown to the entire student body, explaining to them what humanitarian organizations like the Red Cross mean to people and thanking them for being "great humanitarians."

Lambeth and Assistant Principal Bonnie Hancock said that they are very proud of the civic-minded young American citizens at their school.

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