As Floridians braced last week for a fourth hurricane in six weeks, students at many Pinellas schools continued raising money for storm victims.
Students at Southside Fundamental Middle School, 1701 10th St. S, donated school supplies, shoes, clothing and food for children who attend Boone Middle School in Haines City. The school sustained damage from Hurricane Charley.
School officials contacted Polk County's emergency operations center personnel, who helped them make contact with the Boone Middle School principal. Southside assistant principal Chris Atteek and parents Renee Athey and Drew Brooks drove the supplies to Haines City on Thursday morning.
Shorecrest Preparatory School, 5101 First St. NE, adopted Deep Creek Elementary in Punta Gorda, another school hit by Hurricane Charley. Shorecrest students collected school supplies, clothing, books and toiletries and made cash donations.
At Seminole High School, 8401 131st St. N, members of the Key Club raised $3,000 with their "Change for Charley" campaign. Club members visited classrooms and asked students to donate their spare change with the promise of an ice cream party to the class that contributed the most money.
Donations ranged from as little as a few pennies to $20. One teacher wrote a $500 check and two others gave $100 each.
The students will turn over the money to the Red Cross to help victims of all four hurricanes.
