by Jesse Walker-McGraw

A total of $504 was raised by the Rotary Interact Club and World Cultures Club through a pizza, soda and baked goods sale held on 15 Feb., according to the presidents of the two clubs. The money was raised for Heifer International, a not-for-profit organization.

The two clubs have partnered for the first time this year. Anna Woolery, who came up with the idea of partnering, participates in the Rotary Interact Club and is the president of the World Cultures Club. Woolery realized that while the Rotary Interact Club couldn’t sponsor a fundraiser by themselves, as they had already sponsored one, they could help the World Cultures club with their fundraiser.

“The collaboration was essential to the success of the fundraiser and couldn’t have gone smoother,” Woolery said. “The Rotary Club was essential. I can’t thank those girls enough for helping us pull it off… Who better to help [us with the fundraiser] than our school’s service club?”

The World Cultures Club sold pizza for $1 apiece. Rotary Interact Club sold baked goods for 50 cents apiece and soda for $1 apiece.

According to a poster for the bake sale, the charity the money was raised for, Heifer International, provides live animals to families in other countries to help them support themselves. The offspring of the first animal donated will be given to others in the owner’s community. According to Heifer International’s website, donors chose an animal, such as chickens or rabbits, or another type of gift, such as a schooling for a young girl, and donate to the fund set up specifically for that gift. For larger and more expensive gifts, donors can choose to pay for a part of a gift.

“It’s helping a family start a new life,” Woolery said.

The clubs raised enough money to buy multiple animals. They will decide during the next meeting which will be purchased.

“We’re hoping for enough money to buy a water buffalo for a family,” Shaffer Smith, the president of Rotary Interact Club, said before the sale.

Woolery also mentioned buying a water buffalo, in addition to speaking of buying a llama. According to the Heifer International online catalog, a water buffalo costs $250 and a llama costs $150. Both animals can provide a source of income for families through help in the fields and wool and milk respectively.

According to Woolery, this fundraiser is not yet planned for next year.

“It would be cool if it were to become an annual thing, but it’s a lot of work and coordination,” Woolery said. “It’ll be up to next year’s World Cultures Club and president. They may think of an even better fundraiser.”