P-G students work to aid Haitian relief

The students of Porter-Gaud have rallied to do everything in their power to make a difference for the people in Haiti who desperately need help after a devastating earthquake last month.

Projects have been organized and programs have been put into action at P-G, but two fourth-grade girls took it upon themselves to do something extra for Haitian relief.

Elizabeth Silliman and Ally Roskill devised a plan to raise money for the Haitian relief efforts by holding a bake sale Jan. 23-24 outside Antiques of the Indies store in downtown Charleston.

The girls spent days baking hundreds of cookies, cupcakes, cinnamon buns and coffee cakes for the event. With each item selling for only $1, and despite blustering weather, the girls raised $496. Their total was boosted to $946 by Tucker Payne Antiques and family members' support.

The girls' parents agreed to match the final number, and with that contribution, the total was $2,838. Then anonymous donors offered matching support, bringing the final total to $10,131.

A check for $5,676 was presented to the local office of the American Red Cross, and $4,455 went to Doctors Without Borders, UNICEF and Partners in Health.

Porter-Gaud held several schoolwide assemblies dedicated to the news in Haiti. Parents, students, teachers and administrators have been working on ways the school can help. Porter-Gaud has decided to dedicate its service to Water Missions International to provide clean water to those in Haiti.

Porter-Gaud also partnered with Pinewood Prep by dedicating their big rivalry game Feb. 2 to Haitian relief by selling T-shirts and donating all concession funds, ticket sales and proceeds to Water Missions.

The school has established "dress-down days" where the students pay $2 for the privilege of not wearing their uniforms to school. Those proceeds also will go to Water Missions.

The school is organizing a team for Water Missions' Walk for Water in Charleston on March 20.

P-G Choir sings at prayer service

The Porter-Gaud Upper School Choir, under the direction of Dominic La-Casse, celebrated the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by participating in a prayer service at the Nativity Church on James Island.

The Upper School Choir was joined by the James Island United Congregational Church Choir, directed by Howard Washington, and the First Baptist Church Mass Choir, directed by William Richardson, to provide music for the service.

Dr. Jack Bass, author and professor at The Citadel, presented the message.

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