Everyone can lighten someone’s burden

On Nov. 11, Typhoon Haiyan touched down in the Philippines and its devastation earned it a ranking as the second-deadliest typhoon on record. With 3,700 pronounced dead and an estimated 10,000 still missing, Haiyan devastated the nation. Thirteen million people have been affected, including 4.9 million children. It is hard, as a community, to wrap our minds around the after-effects of this disaster.

Millions are left homeless, without food or clean water and we as a school community are thousands of miles away. However, hope travels quite quickly, and as a community all three divisions of Lawrence Woodmere Academy are joining together to help. With fundraisers in full swing for the upcoming weeks, students realize the importance of giving back to the less fortunate and taking the time to appreciate what we are blessed to have.

For some, this disaster is a reminder of Hurricane Sandy, when they themselves lost valuables and became victims of a natural disaster. Charles Dickens once said, “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another,” and this resonates with my peers and me. Although it may be discouraging that I am in-fact a 17-year-old unable to give as much as I would like, knowing that I have the opportunity to donate or give back is comforting.

The Thanksgiving holiday is a time to reflect on all that we are fortunate to have and to keep the victims of typhoon Haiyan in our hearts and minds. With generosity and selflessness, we in New York can affect the lives of people in the Philippines, helping typhoon victims rebuild so that they are stronger than before.

One way to help, and there are many others, by texting TYPHOON to 80888, you can donate $10 to the Salvation Army “to immediately meet the specific needs of disaster survivors,” according to the organization’s website.