Oct 4, 2007
HELPING OUT:
Ridgefielders at Cartus aid Darfur refugees
|
Doug D’Jay, a Ridgefield resident and senior programmer at Cartus in Danbury, has always valued giving to those less fortunate than himself, and has given towards dozens of worthy causes over the years.
Two years ago, though, he realized that simply giving money toward a cause is not enough. He learned that organization is the key towards making a difference. This realization is what ultimately led him to lead the effort to raise $100,000 to build a school in Sudan for Darfur refugees by 2010.
Mr. D’Jay is chairperson and founder of the Cartus Save the Children Committee, which is an employee-initiated group that works closely with Save the Children USA. Formed in 1932, Save the Children is the leading independent organization that helps the lives of needy children around the world.
‘The Promise’
In February of 2007, Mr. D’Jay, along with other Cartus employees, became inspired after they saw the “The Promise,” an eight-minute video on Darfur created by Tim Salem, assistant principal of Danbury High School, and several Danbury High School students.
Through photographs and narration, “The Promise” portrays the situation in Darfur, which is in the midst of a war that has already taken the lives of more than 400,000 people. The video sent the message that the United Nations and the world are not keeping the promise they made after the Holocaust to never allow crimes against humanity again.
What touched Mr. D’Jay most were the children. He’s since learned that more than two million children in Sudan are not attending school. He realized just how blessed he is that his own children, Maria, 11 and Catherine, 7, are receiving a good education.
“It’s bad enough to live in extreme poverty, but to be in a refugee situation where you have no safe place to go to school is a terrible tragedy,” said Joan Zawacki of Ridgefield, vice president of business process and workforce management at Cartus.
After reading accounts of what children are enduring in this region, attending rallies dedicated to making poverty history, and conducting his own research on the subject, Mr. D’Jay came to the realization that in order to improve the situation in Darfur, he knew that simply writing a letter, or even writing a check, isn’t good enough.
Signficant difference
“To make any significant difference, you must get people organized,” said Mr. D’Jay. “I feel that it’s my duty not only to give but to educate others and ask them to give as well.
“We really have to look inside ourselves to see what we can do and not turn the other way,” said Mary Staudt of Ridgefield, a sixth grade English teacher at H.C. Crittenden Middle School in Armonk, N.Y.
Committee members did look inside themselves for a direct way to help the children of Darfur and made the decision to raise $100,000 to build a school. “It will be an eight-classroom primary school with running water and three latrines, complete with classroom furniture and educational materials,” said D’Jay, who is coordinating multiple fund-raisers to raise the money to build the school.
The first fund-raiser was a car wash at Splash car wash in July, which raised $1,300.
Another way that the committee has raised money for the school is through memorial or honor gifts. “If you wish to acknowledge someone who is celebrating a special occasion, by donating $25 or more, the committee will send the person a personalized card and include the person’s name on a plaque to be hung on the wall of the school after it’s built,” said Mr. D’Jay.
To date, the committee has already raised nearly $3,000 for the construction of the school. Besides the school, a second goal Mr. D’Jay wants to complete by 2010 is to sponsor 100 children in needy countries. “Sponsorships give needy children access to an education, medical treatment, water and food,” he said.
Mr. D’Jay’s third goal is to have 100 committee members. As of this printing, the committee has 53 sponsorships and 68 members.
Fund-raising walk
For the next fund-raiser, Mr. D’Jay hopes to raise $10,000 by having a 75-mile walkathon Nov. 10 at 10 a.m. The walk will take place in a one-mile loop around Cartus headquarters. Participants will walk 75 laps through the day and night, and into the next day.
“I got the idea for the 75 miles in honor of Save the Children’s 75th anniversary this year and to commemorate the hundreds of miles walked by refugees,” said Mr. D’Jay.
According to Mr. D’Jay, a future fund-raiser, which is being planned for summer 2008, will be to hold a Corvette car raffle.
“This is not an official Cartus charity. Rather, it’s a grassroots effort that sprang to life within the company and has quickly gathered momentum,” said Mr. D’Jay. “If our committee can make the effort and personal sacrifices to give a future to the youngest victims of what the United Nations called ‘the world’s worst humanitarian crisis,’ then we know we have achieved our goal.”
For more information on the Cartus Save the Children Committee’s commitment to build a school in the Sudan, e-mail schoolinsudan@gmail.com or visit schoolinsudan.org. To view “The Promise” video, visit dhsthepromise.com.
© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers
|
