Students make silk carnationsto help Red Cross relief efforts

Ashley Kugleman, Deanna Zabawa, Ayla Bruckmann

and Jennifer Level raise $400 for Sept. 11 fund
By:Krzysztof Scibiorski
   Four sixth-grade friends, with some help from their families, raised $400 for the Red Cross’ Sept. 11 relief fund by distributing more than 300 handmade red, white and blue silk carnations to shoppers in exchange for donations.
   Alexander Batcho Intermediate School (ABIS) students Ashley Kugleman, Deanna Zabawa, Ayla Bruckmann, and Jennifer Level came up with idea of making the carnations to contribute to the fund-raising effort for victims of the terrorist attacks.
   "We wanted to do something to help the Red Cross relief efforts, and we knew that the high school had a fund-raiser as well, so we made over 300 carnations in one night and sold them in front of the A&P," Ayla explained.
   The girls, along with Ayla’s mother and grandmother, her younger brother Tanner and Deanna’s sister Elizabeth, made over 300 carnations in one night and handed them out in exchange for donations to the Red Cross.
   "Making the carnations was hard work but it was also fun because we don’t get to see each other that much at school and we were doing this together," Deanna said.
   The girls were outside the A&P supermarket on a Saturday evening on Sept. 22 between 6 and 8 and the next morning from 8 until 11. During that time they raised $397, so "we dropped in $3 to make it an even number," Ayla said.
   The girls were impressed with the generosity of strangers. "Many people gave $20 and didn’t even want to get a carnation, wanting us to sell it to someone else. We saw a family from Ohio who at first didn’t believe us but we explained to them that we’re really raising funds for the Red Cross and then they also gave $20," Deanna said.
   When asked how their families responded to their efforts the girls replied in unison: "They liked it a lot!"
   "These are great girls and we are very proud to have them help in such a way," said Dr. Brunn, ABIS principal. The money the girls raised was given to Dr. Brunn, who in turn donated it to the Red Cross. "We need to recognize the effort that these girls and their families have made to help others," Dr. Brunn said.