The village of Boukeron, Haiti
Sustaining a Village Everyday (S.A.V.E.), a charity created and run by six teens from Murfreesboro, will hold its biggest fundraising event of the year on July 30. Planned by Laura Bean, the S.A.V.E. the Night Fun Run 5K will be held at 8 p.m. at Gateway Island in Murfreesboro. The intent of the event is a family- and teen-friendly race that will raise funds and awareness for the malnutrition in Haiti.
The 5K will also be a superhero costume contest and will feature a DJ. Awards and door prizes will be given out after the race. Donuts, glowsticks, t-shirts, Smoothie King and an ice cream truck will also add to the fun! The entry fee for participants 10 and over is $25 and the fee for those 8 and under is $20. Proceeds will go towards the organization’s overall goal of raising $25,000 to build wells and lakes, as well as purchase livestock, for the malnourished village of Boukeron, Haiti.
In January of this year, Tayllor Cochrane was inspired by an episode of ABC’s 20/20 to raise $25,000 to feed a malnourished village for an entire year. Others expressed interest in the cause, and soon the core leadership group was formed, including Laura Bean, Mary Cate Ownby, Tony Allen and Brock Baker. Kristi Cochrane and Melissa LaDuc also stepped up as adult supervisors to guide the group.
Attending six different churches and two different schools in Murfreesboro, they brought together their various interests and experiences to develop a plan for Tayllor’s idea. The goal quickly shifted from merely feeding a village to giving a village the resources and knowledge to provide sustenance for themselves long term. They selected Boukeron, Haiti, as their location, where missionary Fred Wall is able to help them identify the needs of the people there. He informed the group that Boukeron would benefit most from the construction of a well and a lake filled with tilapia that would naturally reproduce, as well as the purchase of various livestock.
Members of the SAVE team, (top row, from left) Mary Cate Ownby, Tony Allen, Brock Baker, Tayllor Cochrane (bottom, from left) Shelby Hardison, Laura Bean
With this in mind, the S.A.V.E. team developed a financial plan to achieve their goal by the end of 2011. The six leaders kicked off the fundraising with a letter campaign that raised $4,703. The first event, a 24-hour famine, was directed by Brock Baker. On May 13-14, 50 teens from all over Murfreesboro gathered for a lock-in featuring various games and competitions related to Haiti, while also fasting for 24 hours. Through sponsorship for each hour the teens fasted, together, they raised $2,741.
Next, the car wash held on May 22 rallied $948 through a combination of pre-sold tickets and tickets bought at the event. The event was coordinated by Shelby Hardison. Recently, the leaders have been visiting businesses to acquire corporate sponsorships.
S.A.V.E. appreciates the support of the community and their friends and family in helping them strive towards their goal. With God and the collaboration of others, Sustaining a Village Everyday can truly make a difference in Boukeron, Haiti.
For more information on S.A.V.E., contact Laura Bean at lcbean@earthlink.net or (615) 796-1759.
