Student takes on hurricane relief

WESTFALL n One Delaware Valley High School student has decided to help and support the victims of Hurricane Katrina in a unique way. Meghan Cherry, a senior at Delaware Valley High School, once lived in Baton Rouge, LA and she, therefore has a special feeling for the people of the area. After checking on the welfare of her family in Louisiana and Mississippi, Meghan began to brainstorm about ways that she and her mother, Beth R. Everett of Matamoras, could help victims. They were concerned about the school-age children, who have been displaced and cannot attend their regular schools. Meghan’s mother contacted schools in the Baton Rouge area that have taken in New Orleans students to see what teachers and students would need. Meghan, friends and family from the Port Jervis Bowling League went door-to-door to collect funds. A collection drive was held at Price Chopper and $299.74 was raised. Another collection drive was held at the Delaware Valley High School on Friday, September 23rd. Students from the school, as well as residents from the community, were encouraged to drop off school supplies that can be loaded into backpacks, which Meghan’s mother has already purchased for the project. A community yard sale is also being planned to raise more funds for the supplies and for travel expenses that Meghan and her mother will incur when they deliver the supplies to the schools in the Central School District in East Baton Rouge, Louisiana in a few weeks. If residents are interested in helping Meghan and her mother with the expense of their trip or by donating school supplies, they can call 570-409-2032.