Vermilion schools step up for victims of Hurricane Harvey

Charles Dickens stated, that “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
As with schools around the district, Erath High, Erath Middle, Dozier Elementary, LeBlanc Elementary and Seventh Ward leaders, faculty members and students worked to lighten the burden and help Texas “Hurricane Harvey” victims.
Erath High partnered with Earl, Vance, and Jacob Landry and Industrial & Oilfield Services and Enviro Resources to help flood victims in the Houston area. Family clothes donations (shirts, pants/shorts) were collected at EHS from September 5th until 7th in the EHS Gym. Industrial & Oilfield Services and Enviro graciously agreed to transport donations on the school’s behalf. On Monday, September 11th, the Erath High Student Council sent off a large shipment of donations collected for Texas Hurricane Harvey victims. EHS Principal Marc Turner sent a huge shout-out via Facebook to the Landry men and Industrial & Oilfield Services and Enviro for transporting the donations to Texas. Turner shared “I am so proud of our community for paying it forward!” In addition to that, the school will host jean days and out of uniform dress designated days, for monetary donations.
Erath Middle and Seventh Ward opted for a toiletry drive for specific schools in another part of Texas. With the help of Donna Sanchez, Erath Middle and Seventh Ward Elementary Principals Wendy Stoute and Natalie Hebert answered a plea on Facebook to help the Port Arthur, Beaumont, and Nederland areas in Texas. The connection between the schools was Sanchez’s cousin Susan Granger Trevino who works as a Guidance Counselor in Port Arthur. Trevino also has an Erath connection. Her father J.D. Granger was the oldest child of Mr. and Mrs. Dud Granger from Erath. A specific list of needed items was sent to the Vermilion Parish two leaders. Products like soap, toothbrushes, and toiletry items, as well as school supplies, were named as much-needed items.
The first drive for the two schools mentioned, began the day after Labor Day and on Saturday, September 9th; a trip was made to Texas. The schools helped included Christian Fellowship in Beaumont, St. Catherine Elementary in Port Arthur and St. Charles: Nederland. The two schools are working on a 2nd drive now to be delivered again Saturday, September 16th. Erath Middle also hosted a $5 "out of uniform" day as well as offering community members to drop off donations at the school. On the 9th, Sanchez brought all collected items for week 1 to St. Catherine’s and they distributed items at the other locations.
After Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas, Dozier Elementary made the decision to raise money to help the Aransas County Independent School District. Aransas County, Texas was devastated by Hurricane Harvey. The five schools in this district had catastrophic damages. The schools are Rockport-Fulton High School, Rockport-Fulton Middle School, Live Oak Elementary, Fulton Elementary and Little Bay Primary.
In the letter sent home with Dozier Elementary students, leaders mentioned that like the schools in Aransas County, Dozier also endured devastation with the flooding with Hurricane Rita and Ike. To assist the schools in this district, students were offered to have a $5 out of uniform dress day on Thursday, September 7th. The school also offered community members to stop by and drop off monetary donations as well. The school raised almost $2,900 that will go to Aransas County ISD for their five campuses in Rockport, Texas. Some classrooms also adopted a classroom in Texas to assist with supplies in a different way. The Aransas County school district in Rockport, Texas was heavily damaged and a “Go Fund Me” account was set up @ https://www.gofundme.com/rockport-fulton-schools-hurricane if others want to donate, too.
LeBlanc Elementary hosted a $2 jean day on September 12th to benefit Pastor August's congregation who was impacted by Hurricane Harvey. The school will also host a coin drive during the week of September 18th to benefit a school in Texas.
No matter where the donations were sent or where they'd end up, the one constant during the school wide programs was Saint Francis Assisi' message, "For it is in giving that we receive" that echoed through the walls. The goal of all projects was simple, “to be useful and to lighten the burdens” of Louisiana neighbors in Texas.