Reed Intermediate School Students Rally For A ‘Future For Florida’

By Larissa Lytwyn

To New Englanders, the devastation of Hurricane Ivan and other storms in Florida this past summer seems like old news.

But to students at Brentwood Middle School in Pensacola, Fla., the memories are fresh.

“The school was closed for month,” said Reed Intermediate School sixth grade teacher Karen Lane, a former Brentwood instructor.

Though Ms Lane moved to Connecticut four years ago, the native Floridian still keeps in close touch with her home state, particularly her old Brentwood community.

“Some of the students and their families didn’t have electricity for six weeks or more after Hurricane Ivan,” Ms Lane said. “People who had their roofs torn off now have to secure it with tarp while they wait to get them rebuilt.”

Brentwood, she said, was an inner city school. Many of the students’ families cannot afford to finance the repair that needs to be done.

“When I heard from a friend about how awful it was there, I knew something had to be done,” Ms Lane asserted. “And the response of the students here at Reed has been positively overwhelming!”

Ms Lane’s students recently launched a “Future for Florida” fundraiser.

“When the drive first started, the immediate response was unbelievable!” declared sixth grader Katie McMorran. “It was wonderful to see.”

Many of the students, added fellow sixth grader Casey Rutter, had families and friends in Florida who had been badly affected by the hurricanes. “Some people really understood just how bad it was, and understood the need to help,” she said.

Leah Barrett’s relatives from West Palm Beach sent photographs of the devastation caused by Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne .

“It was bad at West Palm, but even worse in Pensacola,” said Leah. “That was hard to imagine, because West Palm was hit really bad, too.”

Leah’s friend Katie Canavan described the pictures in detail. “It was awful,” she said. “There were boats on lawns, and roofs completely torn up.”

“There were also pictures of people fishing through garbage, looking for things they had lost,” added fellow sixth grader Gabrielle Milano. “It was so terrible to see!”

For $1 or more, fund drive supporters can purchase student-made crafts, such as snowflake ornaments, snowflake-covered pencils, pins, and other accessories. The snowflake theme was a conscious one.

“Florida kids are absolutely fascinated by snow,” said Ms Lane with a laugh. “When there is a light frost during the winter in Pensacola, you can see kids actually trying to shape the frost on their car windshield into little snowflakes.” She said she was excited, then, to “Send Snowflakes South” to the students.

Within the first few days of the drive, more than $300 had been collected.

Ms Lane’s students also wrote to area businesses seeking support.

Current raffle items include a $100 savings bond from Newtown Savings Bank, a complimentary eye exam from Eye Care Plus, a complimentary two-month membership at Curves for Women, two free weeks of martial arts training at United Studios of Self Defense, a free three-foot grinder from Newtown Deli, four box seats to a Yankees game, and porcelain figurines and ornaments.

“We’ll be sending out the money we collected in early January,” said Ms Lane. “We thought that it would be a great way to kick off the New Year — a new start!”

For more information on the “Future for Florida” fundraiser, or to donate, call 270-4880 or send items to Reed Intermediate School, 3 Trades Lane, Newtown CT 06470.