Students get a read on charity

Top of the World Elementary School students have earned themselves a barnyard of animals to donate to needy families.

Matched with dollars by the PTA, students participating in the Bear Club reading program were given the incentive to raise money for Heifer International, a non-profit organization that gives animals to people in disadvantaged areas.

The school set a goal of achieving 45,000 Bear Club points for a match of $5,000 from the PTA.

About 450 students participated in the program, with one Bear Club point equaling 25 pages of reading.

The goal was easily passed with more than 60,000 points earned, which translates into more than 1.3 million pages read, teacher Greg Potter said.

“The students worked very hard to reach this goal,” Potter said. “Many students came up to me thanking me for starting the program at our school. It was touching to see the response to this program.”

Pamela Edwards, a Heifer International representative who accepted the check from the PTA, noted that the group works in 40 countries.

“Through donations like the one we’re receiving from Top of the World School, Heifer International provides farm animals to impoverished families around the world,” she said. “In many parts of the world, a family’s health ? in fact their whole way of living ? can be radically improved with just one animal.”

Heifer International provides a set list of prices for animals it sends to needy families.

A goat will cost $120 to donate. In turn, the goat will provide milk to the family and could even be sold for income.

“A goat can give four gallons of milk a day,” Edwards said.

One of the rules Heifer International asks families to obey is that offspring of the animal be passed on to other families to spread the wealth.

With $5,000, Top of the World students scored the “Barnyard,” which includes: two sheep, two trios of rabbits, two pigs, two oxen, two goats, two beehives, two flocks of geese, two flocks of chicks, two trios of guinea pigs, two water buffalo, two cows, two trios of ducks, two donkeys, two camels and two llamas.

Edwards presented the school with a plaque to honor their work.

“Families may now have nutritious milk from a cow, goat or even a water buffalo; income from the sale of eggs to buy medicine or school supplies; or warm wool shorn from llamas to wear in cold mountain conditions,” Edwards said.cpt.26-itc-CPhotoInfoS01RHF2E20060602izsm1xncSTAFF / COASTLINE PILOT(LA)Principal Ron La Motte presents a $5,000 check to Pamela Edwards.