DHAHRAN, 23 March 2003 — The Dhahran Elementary/Middle School (DEMS), a part of the International Schools Group, raised SR27,000 for charity through their annual walk-a-thon. To help the students understand how their hard-earned funds were to be spent, the school arranged an assembly for the awarding of the checks.

At the assembly, Bruce Hudson, principal, DEMS, congratulated all the students, teachers and parents who have been focusing on philanthropic endeavors. He commended the second graders who did a winter clothing drive and bake sale.

Hudson spoke about the work of the seventh graders who got interested in the plight of people in Africa and have initiated fundraising to help the Peace Corps with its efforts in Africa.

He also mentioned an upcoming community service project that will be done by a group from the school on a trip to Vietnam in May.

Certificates of appreciation were given to the Coca Cola Bottling Company of KSA and Tamimi Company for their generosity in supporting the school’s charitable projects.

Hudson then introduced Rick Barnhouse, principal, Abqaiq and Nada Schools, International Schools Group, who read out a letter written by the student from Abqaiq who was seriously injured in the car accident that killed her father. A portion of the monies earned in the walk-a-thon will help pay some of the girl’s rehabilitation expenses.

In the letter, Magady thanked everyone for all the help they had been giving her. She wrote that before the accident she had been like everyone else but that now she has had to put her attention to recovering from the four surgeries that she had to undergo. It had been an enormous challenge for her to face all the changes in her life and she hoped everyone would continue to remember her and her family and pray for them.

After handing over a check to Barnhouse to be deposited in the Magady Trust, Hudson welcomed to the podium Murad Al-Zayer, a representative of the Qatif Orphans Committee, which is part of the Qatif General Charity. The Qatif Orphans Committee provides partial support to 602 children from over 200 families in the Qatif area whose fathers have died.

“Through their guardians we give the orphans cash every two months and food aid,” said Al-Zayer. “We don’t have the resources to provide full support. Last year we had a budget of over SR2 million, with most of that money coming from middle class individuals in the community. We have detailed accounting of our revenues and expenditures. Our organization operates completely transparently. We are more than willing to answer any question concerning our operations.

“The check from the walk-a-thon event will be used to help pay the bills for the clothing that was purchased for the orphans for the Eid Al-Adha holiday. We thank the students for trusting us and continuing to support our activities.”

Fred Bowen, superintendent, International Schools Group, felt that the students’ participation in community projects was as important to their education as their attendance in class.

“When we think about learning, we think about school,” said Bowen. “But learning is a process that goes on every moment of the day, every day of our lives. No one should get tired of learning. It’s what makes living wonderful.”