FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Students and staff rally behind teacher headed for Africa
18 May 2006—Centennial Secondary School Communication Technology teacher Lynne Weinert is causing quite a stir at the Belleville school. On May 26, she will shave her shoulder length blonde hair in support of her upcoming relief mission that she is taking to Kenya, Africa this summer. Mrs. Weinert, along with a team of 21 others from the Quinte area will spend 22 days this summer in Kenya.

When asked what she will be doing, Mrs. Weinert says, “We will be partnering with existing relief/mission organizations helping them with rebuilding, community outreach, and of course, you can’t go to Africa without working with Aids orphans and doing Aids education.” One of the organizations, Mully’s Children Family is a unique facility which houses, cares for and schools over 800 Kenyan street children.

The majority of these children are forced to drop out of school at a young age and succumb to early marriages, or turn to the streets for survival. They lack life's basic needs such as food, clothing, medical care, shelter and education.

Mrs. Weinert hopes to raise at least $2,000 in relief funds and has launched a fundraising campaign at Centennial Secondary School. She is currently accepting pledges and on May 26th she plans to have her head shaved in the school gymnasium. Students and staff are rallying together in support of this cause. Student Council has put together a homeroom challenge, collecting toonies to spell out Kenya, a senior level World Issues class is planning a fun-fair event on May 25th, and the school’s student-run Global Awareness committee is planning an event. In addition, Mrs. Weinert has already received generous donations from Centennial staff.

If you would like to make a donation, you can contact Mrs. Weinert at lweinert@hpedsb.on.ca or simply stop by CSS. A donation box is located in the main office.

The Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board has 46 elementary and eight secondary schools serving 18,400 students, employing 1,070 teachers and 705 support staff. The Board covers a wide geographical area of 7,221 square kilometres bordered by Maynooth to the north, Deseronto to the east, Prince Edward County to the south, and Quinte West to the west.

For more information, contact:
• Kerry Donnell, Communications Officer, (613) 966-1170 or 1 800 267-4350, extension 2354