Magnificat juniors Mary Leone (left) and Erin Ohliger help raise money for Haiti during their lunch period. (Photo courtesy of Magnificat High School.)

Magnificat helps raise funds for Haiti
By Danielle Toth
Rocky River
Published Feb. 10, 2010

When an earthquake devastated cities in a country about 1,500 miles away, some area students closed the distance between countries by jumping to its aid.

Magnificat High School has a long-standing tradition of aiding Haiti. The school, founded and sponsored by the Sisters of the Humility of Mary, has invited Sister Judy Dohner, a member of by the Sisters of the Humility of Mary, to speak about her missionary efforts in Haiti for many years, said Sister Carol Anne Smith, president and principal of the school.

“We have included Sister Judy and Haiti in our Lenten Project efforts for several years,” Smith said. “This means that every year, we send a portion of the contributions collected through the Lenten Project to Sister Judy. It also means that during the 40 days of Lent, we raise awareness in our school community by educating ourselves about the justice issues present in contemporary Haiti.”

When the school learned of the destructive earthquake, it stepped up its fundraising efforts. The students raised $9,186.07 during the first week and an additional $2,235 afterward. The school will continue to collect donations and forward them to Dohner directly as long as it receives contributions, Smith said.

“I have always been very involved with Campus Ministry, so a few of us got together and started brainstorming,” said Anne Marie Eifel, a senior at Magnificat. “We started doing collections at lunch time and hosted a dress-down day. The students, teachers, faculty and staff were so generous. We raised a lot of money!

“Mary’s Magnificat calls us to serve others in our daily lives. Magnificat High School really values this, and when a neighbor is in need, we reach out to help them,” Eifel said. “Though Haiti may be far away, they are our neighbors too, and we must do what we can to ease the hardship that is upon them.”

Dohner, a registered nurse, served for a number of years at the old St. Joseph Hospital in Lorain, which is now Community Health Partners, Smith said. During the earthquake, Dohner suffered a concussion and a cracked rib when the roof of her convent collapsed. However, Dohner is now working hard tending to the injured in Haiti.

“We have not received a direct message from Sister Judy, who is working 15- to 18-hour days in a hospital in Port-au-Prince, which she helped found,” Smith said. “But we have received word through Sister Susan Schorsten, president of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary. Sister Judy e-mailed and spoke to Sister Susan and asked that her gratitude be extended to all those who have contributed in any way to the support of the Haitian people.”

The Reuter Foundation, a family foundation that promotes philanthropy, matched all donations the week of Jan. 18 to 22, which doubled the $9,186.07 the students raised to $18,372.14. Magnificat science teacher Heidi Paul is a trustee of the foundation.

“We have matched funds at Magnificat in the past for Hurricane Katrina as well as the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami,” Paul said. “I think this year was so much more successful in donations because we have a Sisters of Humility nun living the mission, which is a personal connection.”

For more information on donating to Haiti, contact Magnificat High School at (440) 331-1572.

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