For Immediate Release: April 6, 2007
STUDENTS HELPING HONDURAS TO HOLD SECOND WALK, APRIL 21
Fredericksburg, Va. – Students Helping Honduras (SHH), a student group at the University of Mary Washington, has organized “Walk-a-Thon for Hope 2007” to benefit a refugee community in Honduras that was displaced by Hurricane Mitch. The Sunshine Lady Foundation, Inc., run by Doris Buffett, sister of billionaire Warren Buffett, has pledged to double the total amount of money raised by the group if they meet their $100,000 goal.
The five-mile Walk-a-Thon will be held on Saturday, April 21, beginning at 1:30 p.m. on the university’s Fredericksburg campus. The start of the walk and registration will be set up in front of Lee Hall. SHH held a Walk-a-Thon last April to benefit the Copprome orphanage. With the help of the Sunshine Lady Foundation, they raised more than $150,000 for Copprome.
The refugee community, Siete de Abril, is located in El Progreso, Honduras. They have no access to electricity, clean water or adequate education. In addition, most of the residents live in homes constructed out of cardboard and tin. With the funds raised, SHH will address the housing needs of the 72 families that currently live in Siete de Abril while working hand-in-hand with the community members.
The group has already raised approximately $50,000, including $20,000 through an online philanthropic contest called GrabLife GiveLife. By accumulating 20,000 student votes in 19 days, the Walk-a-Thon took first place in the Dodge-sponsored national contest. The award will be presented during the April 21 event.
Walk-a-Thon teams are each asked to aim for $1,400, which is the amount needed to build a family a home. Participants will work to raise money through pledges up until the day of the Walk-a-Thon. Those who would like to support the event also can make a direct donation, which is tax deductible. Checks should be made out to the CCC-Village Fund, 1213 Dandridge Street, Fredericksburg, Va., 22401.
UMW senior and Falls Church, Va., resident Shin Fujiyama and his sister, Cosmo, a student at the College of William and Mary, established Students Helping Honduras after making several trips to the country. In addition, Fujiyama took the university’s philanthropy course last year. The course was a real working charitable foundation that awarded two grants funded by Ms. Buffett to local charities. At the conclusion of that project, Fujiyama and the Sunshine Lady Foundation were able to collaborate on the Students Helping Honduras project.
The Walk-a-Thon is co-sponsored by the UMW Campus Christian Community. For more information about Students Helping Honduras or the upcoming Walk-a-Thon, visit studentshelpinghonduras.org or contact Fujiyama at shinfujiyama17@yahoo.com.
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News release prepared by: Andrea Christie