Rebecca Lee
Editor-in-Chief

Students from all four schools, faculty and their families walked together across the Golden Gate Bridge to raise money for the Sacred Heart Primary School in Kyamusanala, Uganda on last Saturday.

Pledges and $25 registration fees raised more than $4,000 and will sponsor eight students to the Sacred Heart Primary School on full $600 scholarships, according to community service director Patricia Kievlan.

“Walk for Uganda raises funds for our schools that need our monetary support,” director of schools Gordon Sharafinski said, “but even better is that it relates our four schools to the broader, bigger community and to a world that is far larger than our own defined boundaries.”

Roughly 75 people showed up to walk across the Golden Gate Bridge but registrants were also given the chance to “sleep in for Uganda,” allowing more people to register and help the Sacred Heart Primary School, but not be present for the walk.

“I thought that it was a really successful event compared to past years,” dean Rachel Simpson said. “There was a lot of good family turnout with people bringing their dogs and babies.”

Forty-five percent of the CSH student body and 85 percent of the faculty registered for Walk for Uganda, according to Kievlan.

“By building on momentum from this year, I think we can get even more people to come out next year,” Simpson said.

“I think these girls deserve the same chance to receive an education as we do,” sophomore Natalie Helms said. “It completely changes their lives and they really appreciate it.”

The walk has raised over $35,000 since 2004 and has not only provided scholarships but built new classrooms and dorms for the girls.

“I truly trust that they know what they need the money for most, but I think the most important is how the money sponsors some our students because it seems more personal,” Sharafinski said. “They are real girls whose lives are being changed by education, even though we don’t know them by name.”

Photos: REBECCA LEE and ISABELLE PINARD | The Broadview, SISTER IRENE CULLEN, RSCJ | with permission