Fundraising drive

Southern Cross Catholic College’s Year 11 student Hailey Penna-collins has raised nearly $3000 dollars after organising a week-long fundraising drive for the people of Ukraine.

She met with the College Leadership team for approval, came up with ideas and rallied her troops to get multiple fundraising ideas.

Hailey’s aim was to raise $2,000 but she was able to raise nearly $1,000 on top of this and is grateful to her college community for getting behind her initiative.

She admits that initially, she wasn’t moved by the war.

“It was so far away, and though myself and other students were aware of it, we were more interested in the potential for WW3 than we were about Ukraine,” she said.

“It wasn’t until I read Ruth Harnett-carr’s (a Southern Cross staff member, but also the daughter of Ukrainian Immigrants) Facebook posts that I realised that even though the war was so far away, it was happening.

“It was real, and I found myself suddenly very grateful that I wasn’t involved. It was the next day that a Ukrainian hospital and maternity ward was bombed, thousands of children had been forced to flee the country. With those despicable events, my viewpoint altered; I would do whatever I could to help these victims, victims who were my age, victims who just like me wanted to live life freely, victims who deserved to live in peace.”

Hailey set about organising a number of fundraising events and activities, includng raffles, lolly jar guesses, soft drink sales, doughnut sales, and a free dress day.

The proceeds will go to Caritas Ukraine, with the intention that several children’s lives who have been affected by the Russo-ukraine War will be given food, water, clothing, shelter, medical resources, and most importantly, will be reconnected with their parents and siblings.

Hailey said she was grateful of the generosity of her school.