Making something happen

By Tony Staley
Compass Editor

"The problem is so big. What could I ever do to help?"

That common question never seemed to occur to Erin Schultz. After hearing about the suffering in Darfur, Sudan, which some have classified as genocide, the 15-year-old from Ontario, N.Y., decided to act.

First she found news stories and Websites on Darfur. Then she used a computer program to make a five-minute movie of photos from Darfur, statistics about the situation, and a poem written by a Sudanese man who fled the country.

She showed her parish youth group the video, then e-mailed it to friends and family and asked them to pass it on.

Her goal was to raise awareness about the problem, but people began sending donations - $2,000 so far - to Erin and Carol May, the youth minister at her parish, who sent the money to Catholic Relief Services for humanitarian aid in Darfur. Their generosity has inspired Erin to hope for $10,000 in donations.

Donations for Darfur relief may be sent by check to: Erin's Darfur Project, c/o St. Mary of the Lake Parish, 5823 Walworth Rd., Ontario, NY 14519. Copies of the movie are available by contacting Carol May at (315)524-2611.

One teen has made a difference. So can each one of us.