Quite a few students of WHBHS were enlightened this past January, and in the most peculiar of ways. From January 28th through the 29th, more than 200 people, the vast majority being students of WHBHS, took part in the 4th annual 30-Hour-Famine, hosted by C.U.R.E. (Classmates United in Restoring the Environment).
One may feel confused with the idea of willingly not eating for the sake of others, but it’s much more than that.
Many students now walk the halls with awareness of how lucky they are to live in the United States, to be able to eat dinner every night and to sleep in a comfortable bed. It helped them to attain an open-minded outlook on those less fortunate, and how we as a whole have the power to help these families in times of need, who are grateful of anything we have to give.
By signing up for the Famine, students were asked to raise a minimum of $50, which would be donated to LifeStraw and World Vision, both world organizations set out to help poverty-stricken countries in need of food and clean water.
Besides raising money, students are also asked to fast for a whole 30 hours. Starting at 7 am and ending at 12 pm the next day, everyone participating stayed overnight at the WHBHS and kept their minds off of their desire for food with plenty of activities.
Of these activities, there was T-shirt painting, Henna tattooing, water bottle decorating, fun music, and hungry friends capturing memories with their cameras. Volleyball took place nearly the entire time, as well as some others practicing their basketball skills in the gym. In the LGI Room you’d find movies rolling one after the other, varying from Finding Nemo to Toy Story 2. “Mr. Z’s Room” was the place to go to play video games such as Counter-Strike and Halo. The Dance Team made an amazing performance, leaving their audience wide-eyed and eager for an encore.
Before long, pajamas were changed into and pillows and blankets were pulled into sight as the night drew on. But where is there to sleep in the school?
For one, students could choose to make a sleeping area in “Box City,” an area in the hallway of the LGI Room that consisted of forts made of large boxes. If not there, students got comfortable on the mats in the cafeteria, possibly enjoying a movie on the ceiling. But sleeping wasn’t among all of the students’ decisions.
For those who were determined to stay awake to see the morning sunrise on the roof of the school, conversations were kept between people relaxing together in a circle, and others kept active in the gym.
As the sun was rising, sleepy participants gathered together to watch the beautiful sight. Soon after, more activities took place to wake up everyone else, such as yoga and limbo.
Although not all participants stayed for the remaining hours, the food for the “celebratory feast” was being prepared as each student gathered in one large circle, so big that there was just enough room in the cafeteria. Each member of the circle was given a piece of bread, but was prohibited from eating it until each and every person spoke out on what they’ve learned from this experience and any other thoughts.
Mike Miracco, WHBHS sophomore, now considers food to be a gift. “It’s amazing how we can come together to work under one cause,” he stated.
Miracco’s statement seemed to be the general idea of many others. Freshman Brian Schwartz saw how the experience got people together as family as friends, while junior Vicki Mackowka described all the participants to be “one big support system.”
Returning members also had a few words worth noting. Matt Martines, WHB senior, confessed it hadn’t gotten any easier, even after participating in the previous three Famines. So why continue to do it? “It helps me think about what’s going on in the world,” confessed Martines.
Of course there are those who sneak a couple of snacks here and there. Jackie Saccente, a junior at WHBHS, came clean about snacking in the past, but decided not to this year. Her conclusion? “It was worth it.”
Among all other things, participants said that the bread in the hand is “torture” after starving for 30 hours and how the event as a whole has opened their eyes to realize how lucky they all are.
After the last person spoke, everyone gobbled up the bread with great satisfaction. Salad, fruit, brownies, chips, bagels, and other foods were served at noon.
Overall, this year’s 30-Hour-Famine had the best outcome by far as compared to previous years in terms of the amount of money raised and the number of people who signed up to play a part in the cause. Over 200 people signed up, more than ever before. C.U.R.E. collected around $11,000, while last year the amount added up to about $8,000.
The effort that students put into this fundraising event is much appreciated by C.U.R.E., LifeStraw, and World Vision, especially to those who raised more than the minimum $50 donation expected, like Jacqui Kandell, a sophomore at WHBHS, who raised over $1,000!!
The main goal of the 30-Hour-Famine is to establish empathy among students who are used to living comfortably with families that provides food, water, shelter, and protection as a normal part of life. More importantly, they are raising money that ultimately goes toward families who lack the privileges that we have, who now, because of those who took part in the 30-Hour-Famine, are experiencing a better quality of life.
