Contact: Jenni Brockman
Telephone: 804-443-3357 (w); 804-443-2703 (h)
Fax: 804-443-6781
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kosovo Car Wash a Success
Who says Cyndi Lauper's 1980's radio hit "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" isn't somewhat true? As proof, last Friday, April 30, a group of fifteen St. Margaret's students and two faculty sponsors, were all about fun; with seven industrial size Wal-Mart sponges (fourteen when split in half), three buckets, two tubs of liquid car wash soap, two hoses, and one squirt bottle of Son of a Gun tire cleaner, 27 cars were washed and over $150.00 in proceeds went to benefit the children of Kosovo.
Kosovo Car Wash at Gilchrist Field Parking Lot (Pictured l. to r.) Laura "Luchy" Garcia-Lourdes, Lauren Apel, Hollis Duncan, Rachelle Slotnick, Nicole Lane, Sarah Phillips, Maryama Tagoe, Tiffaney Marie DeSousa, Evita Martinez, Brandy Benito, Giuliana Juarez, Laura Caton, and Hanna Kim (hidden behind Caton) finish with a celebratory final wash of the afternoon.
As President Clinton was implementing air-strike policies in the Balkans, Class of 2003 President Evita Martinez, 14, of Miami, FL, was too busy washing cars to really think about it. Martinez, who organized the event, despite being "congratulated" with a cold bucket shower following the wash, had a lot of fun. "But," said Martinez, "The real reason we are here is to help Kosovo."
Martinez, along with her eighth grade classmates, brainstormed the car wash fundraiser at a class meeting two weeks ago. The aim, to raise money to be donated to UNICEF who will then forward a larger contribution to a relief fund to benefit the children of Kosovo. "It really surprised us when local townspeople came by who had read about the article in the paper [The Rappahannock Times] or drove by and were just curious. When we told people why we were doing this, I don't think anyone thought for a second not to help out. That speaks well for this community," said Martinez. "Besides, no one seemed to mind when we got behind by three or four cars and had to wait a little. It was a huge success and I would like to thank everyone who supported us."
Eighth graders who helped wash include: Laura Caton, Giuliana Juarez, Nicole Lane, Laura "Luchy" Garcia-Lourdes, Evita Martinez, and Sarah Phillips. Other helpers were: Lauren Apel, Brandy Benito, Latane Crittenden, Tiffany Marie DeSousa, Olivia Dix, Hanna Kim, Kelly Proctor, Rachelle Slotnick, Maryama Tagoe, and faculty sponsors Sue Saunders and Hollis W. Duncan.
One could argue that $150.00 is not a lot of money but this small triumph mimics the words of anthropologist Margaret Mead who once said, "Never doubt that a small group of concerned citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." And, probably more than all of the fun, this committed group of girls-and the customers-feel best knowing that they did make the world a little better, if even in only a small way.
