The auditorium was packed. The lights dimmed. Excitement crackled through the air. The crowd was eager, leaning forward in their seats, eyes glittering, nostrils flaring, anticipating what was to come. The entire scene was reminiscent of Rome’s Coliseum centuries ago — only the lions were not in evidence.
Almost immediately the chanting began, rising in minutes to a deafening roar as the victim took the stage. “Shave his head! Shave his head!” shouted the raucous horde. Calmly, Dhahran Elementary/Middle School Principal Bruce Hudson sat down in a chair, placed center stage. A barber’s cape was strapped around his neck and then the rasp of electric clippers brought instant silence. The student stood with the clippers poised over her principal’s head. As she brought the blade down to his hair the crowd burst into a rousing rendition of “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow,” and so Hudson’s precious locks were shorn.
The principal of International Schools Group (ISG) Dhahran Elementary/Middle School (DEMS) had made a solemn promise to his students. If they managed to raise SR28,000 through the school’s annual charity walk-a-thon, he would have his head shaved as a bonus for their hard work. It was an incentive impossible to ignore. In the end, the students raised SR30,000 and Hudson’s hair was history.
ISG Superintendent Fred Bowen was on hand to witness the proceedings and he congratulated the students on their outstanding effort. He urged the students to always set their goals high so that reaching them resulted in the utmost satisfaction.
For his part, Principal Hudson was a good sport throughout the entire fund-raising venture. He encouraged the students to reach their fund-raising goal even though he was fully aware of the consequence.
“Motivating students to achieve is the aim of every educator,” said Hudson. “I have had enormous fun over the last few weeks watching the student body work hard for my baldness. Ultimately, I got a free hair cut, many laughs and a great sense of satisfaction from the successful outcome of our walk-a-thon. I hope we can continue to develop other activities which will inspire our student body to such a high level of action.”
Coca Cola Bottling Company of Saudi Arabia, one of the sponsors of the walk-a-thon, was represented at the assembly by its Dammam Property Department Manager Mohammed J. Al-Taifi. Coca Cola had committed to providing a stereo and mountain bike as prizes for the top two students in the fund-raising attempt. Those students were fourth grader Karim Mukayed and third grader Alexandra Mackzum.
“Coca Cola participates in many school and charity events,” said Al-Taifi. “It is part of our commitment to the community and we are proud to help in such worthwhile efforts. It is essential that Saudi businesses support the Kingdom’s young people and encourage them to strive toward productive goals.”
One of the goals of DEMS 2004 walk-a-thon had been to raise funds for the Orphan’s Committee of the Qatif Charitable Society ([email protected]). Murad Al-Zayer, a member of the Orphan’s Committee, attended the assembly. He received a bank draft on behalf of the charity for SR20,000, presented by sixth grader Karl Sjulsen, the student who achieved third place for fund-raising in the walk-a-thon.
“The Qatif Charitable Society does many good things for the children and families in the Qatif area who are needy for a variety of reasons,” said Sjulsen as he handed over the check. “As a school community it is our mission to support this organization through our annual walk-a-thon.”
Al-Zayer thanked the students for their generosity and stated that the money they had raised would be used to pay invoices for the orphans clothes purchased recently on the occasion of Eid Al-Adha.
“The Orphan’s Committee depends 100 percent on donations from individuals to fund our activities. We receive no corporate support whatsoever. The annual donation from DEMS is very important to us,” said Al-Zayer.
He went on to explain that the 2004 budget for the Orphan’s Committee was projected at SR2.3 million. Those funds would provide for 615 orphans from 216 families.
“Sadly, the number of needy children and their mothers increases every year,” Al-Zayer stated. “We help boys 17 years of age and younger and girls 20 years of age and younger. Our aid keeps the children in school and helps keep the families together. This is essential if they are to escape the trap of lifetime poverty.”
The 15 volunteers on the Orphan’s Committee are in bi-monthly contact with all the families they serve. They pay for expenses such as food, clothing, rent, household equipment, essential home maintenance, education assistance and health care. Detailed records are kept on every family funded by the Orphan’s Committee and the checks and food coupons are turned over personally to the families by the volunteers.
“We have strict criteria to determine which families deserve our aid,” said Al-Zayer. “Basically the family income must be less than SR500 monthly per each family member and the children must meet age and school enrollment requirements. We have detailed tracking on every riyal we spend from our budget and none of the money leaves the Qatif area. This has given our contributors confidence and we have continued to receive excellent support from the community.”
“Our contributors are also pleased that the volunteers on the Orphan’s Committee are in close contact with the orphans and their families,” Al-Zayer added. “It is essential to monitor and manage the behavior of fatherless children as they may be misled easily. We are proud to have the esteem of the Dhahran Elementary/Middle School and we promise to continue working for the good of the Qatif community to maintain the trust that has been placed in us for so many years.”
