Student Justice

Evan Elder (far left) and Humanitarian Committee supporters with boxes of food for delivery to City Mission

04 Dec 2009

A Christ’s College student is leading the way when it comes to helping others.

If you were to take the media at face value you’d easily get the impression that all teenagers in New Zealand are self-centred monsters who only care about number one. But sit in on a meeting of Christ’s College’s Humanitarian Committee and you’ll see quite a different picture.
At the beginning of each year the Committee meets to decide which organisation they will support, and with so many worthy causes it can be a tough job for the students to agree on where to put there energies. This year however they chose the City Mission, and were recently able to present a hefty cheque of $7000 as a result of the year’s fundraising activities.

Year 13 Prefect Evan Elder has led the committee this year, and helped organise events. Food drives were held at the start and end of the year, with the last one resulting in over 20 boxes of non-perishable items being delivered to the Mission. They also held an ‘own shirt and tie day’ where boys could invent their own outfit to wear, with a prize for the best effort, and mufti day proceeds and profits from a year 11 dance were also donated.

But this group isn’t just about fundraising. They also aim to raise awareness of others who may be in need. College boys were encouraged to take part in the 40 Hour Famine, and to help with the Daffodil Day street appeal for the Cancer Society. Evan will be leaving school at the end of the year, but plans to carry on with volunteering and humanitarian efforts in the future. “I joined the Committee because a lot of good comes out of it. It’s one of the best things I’ve done at College.”