By Julia Mericle
News Assistant Editor
BonaResponds began a campaign this week to raise awareness for the fight against Ebola. The group will also raise money for the organizations fighting the disease and dealing with its consequences.
The campaign encourages volunteers to help rake leaves in the surrounding community. Community members who choose to have their lawns raked are asked to donate to an organization fighting Ebola.
Interested students should meet on Saturday, October 25 at 10:30 a.m. to participate.
“Suffering anywhere is suffering everywhere. I see no distinction in helping the person down the block and the person around the world except for the costs involved,” Jim Mahar, advisor of BonaResponds, said.
BonaResponds suggests donations be given to “Doctors Without Borders,” “Partners in Health,” “Catholic Relief Services” and “Kids for Christ.” However, donors may choose any organization they please.
“We are working with established groups that have great track records and we can be assured the money will be used correctly,” Mahar said.
These groups are raising money for medical supplies and orphanages.
“There have been reports of children, whose parents have died of Ebola, being left on the streets as some orphanages are scared to take more in for fear of the disease spreading.” Mahar said, “So try to imagine children, who just lost their parents, being forced to survive on their own.”
Other organizations, including Bonaventure Church, Olean Intermediate and Middle School and Christian Youth Corps, have agreed to join in raking leaves for the cause.
Help is not limited to raking leaves. Mahar said that volunteers could help neighbors with a variety of chores, such as washing cars or mowing lawns.
Mahar encourages students to spread this campaign by telling friends and using the hashtag #endebola on their social media profiles. BonaResponds hopes this campaign will grow into something bigger by making it a challenge, reminiscent of the recently popular “ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.”
Volunteers can challenge others to raise $100 for the cause or donate $10 themselves.
According to Mahar, because the disease is affecting such a poor part of the world, it is especially difficult to treat.
“So much like after the earthquake in Haiti, the line between what is caused by the disaster and what is caused by poverty is a very grey line, but in a way it doesn’t matter since so long as things get better and people do not need to continue suffering,” Mahar said.
Interested individuals can visit bonaresponds.org to sign up to have their yard raked or to help with the raking. The site provides links to the websites of suggested organizations to donate to.
According to Mahar, this is a problem that cannot be fixed by BonaResponds, or even the whole St. Bonaventure community alone.
“We all need to work together to reduce the suffering bit by bit,” Mahar said.
