Story told by Mandy McMahon 

“The students decided that they wanted to have a fundraising club,” said Lindsay Dunn, who teaches 5-8th grade science at the Cooper School in Charleston. “In August, that was when the wildfires hit in Hawaii. They knew that they wanted to focus on that cause. We did our research and felt like the American Red Cross would be the best way to support that cause.” 

Lindsay says the fundraising club happened organically. Last year was the first year the middle school offered clubs for students; there was a sports club, media arts club, and journalism club. A group of students knew that they wanted to do fundraising. As the year progressed, the club got bigger and bigger, and this year, the club continues to grow.  

“They were so enthusiastic about taking ownership and wanted to make sure they were making a difference. I was happy to take a back seat and help guide them to make sure they saw success,” said Lindsay about her role as a club’s advisor. “Humility is important, but also having the drive to follow through, because we could have just had an idea. We had to work together as a team, be persistent, reach out to others, and practice time management.” 

The enterprising students decided to make tie-dye t-shirts and sell them at their school’s fall festival. With the guidance of a teacher who modeled the essential qualities needed to be successful, the students exceeded their goal raising an impressive $655 for people impacted by the wildfires on Maui.  

“Even though Hawaii isn't that geographically close – it's part of our country. That hit home for the students—this could happen to them. Children just like them were impacted by the fires,” said Lindsay. “For their next project, they are going to be collecting toys and making goodie bags to take to the MUSC Children’s hospital for the holidays.”  

You can join these young humanitarians in making a difference in the lives of your neighbors recovering from a home fire down the street or in extreme weather disasters across the country and beyond. Donate to Red Cross Disaster Relief.