$2,000 for tsunami victims

Stephanie Roach and her son Jeshurun wanted to do something to help the victims of the tsunami and earthquake that killed at least 150,000 people in Asia, so they spent Sunday, Jan. 2 in front of Island Market selling baked goods they had made.

Their fundraiser, which raised about $500, was so successful that Stephanie decided that it would be a good idea to expand the sale and involve all the students in the elementary school at the Orcas Christian School, which Jeshurun attends. The next day, Jan. 3, she suggested this to teacher Kathy Roosma, and before you knew it, all the kids were making pies, cakes, cookies, brownies and breads during class time in the school kitchen, or they were creating baked goods at home with their moms, dads, brothers and sisters. And when they weren’t in the kitchen, the kids were in the classroom learning about earthquakes and tsunamis, and what would happen if they hit Orcas Island.

Just two days later, on the afternoon of Jan. 5, the kids were in front of Island Market, where they sold every single one of their creations. They were back the next day with even more baked items. By the time they closed the sale around 6 p.m.on on Jan. 4, the students had raised about $2,000 that is being turned over to the well-established and reputable relief agency World Vision.

Stephanie was deeply touched by the overwhelming generosity of her fellow islanders. “People put in far more than the food was worth,” she said. “Many wrote checks without taking any of the baked goods,” Roach continued.

Lynsey Smith, mother of one of the students, described the community’s response as “eye opening.”

The kids were thrilled to be part of what has become a worldwide relief effort. ‘I feel we should help the tsunami victims,” Calia Wong explained. “We need to do good deeds to help those less fortunate than us.”

Comment on this story.