Principal’s AIDS fund-raiser hits goal

-- Suzie Harrison

El Morro Principal Joanne Culverhouse reached her European AIDS

Vaccine Ride goal at a fund-raiser at Mark’s Restaurant, receiving $5,000

in donations for the ride she will participate in this summer.

The crowd at Mark’s was ecstatic and cheering.

“We raised over $5,000 just tonight, and that doesn’t include people

that didn’t attend the party but are actually asking for donation forms,”

Culverhouse said.

The mood at Mark’s was upbeat as the community came to support

Culverhouse in her endeavor to raise funds to help find an AIDS vaccine.

Darrin Reed, assistant to the superintendent of the Laguna Beach

Unified School District, will assist Culverhouse, setting up camp and

carrying out other behind-the-scenes duties.

“It’s a rousing success,” Reed said. “It’s incredible.”

Culverhouse will pedal 500 miles over seven days from Amsterdam to

Paris in the event.

“I really appreciate the community,” Culverhouse said. “Laguna has

been very supportive and also the schools. I want to be an example for

kids to do things to promote causes.”