Since the earthquake that ravaged Haiti on Jan. 12, many worldwide have responded to lend support to the impoverished nation. Now, Arlington High School has taken action to help the devastated nation.

Hope for Haiti, a new school club, founded by junior Anna Glina as soon as the earthquake virtually destroyed the city of Port-au-Prince, has raised "about $7,000 plus."

"I organized the group the day after this happened because I understood immediate action needed to be taken," Glina said.

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The club worked with numerous programs, such as the music, drama and international groups, to "bring in a constant money flow," she said.

Club members have set up donation deposit containers in the school, running bake sales at lunches and canning at lunches. To date, the donations have exceeded the club's initial goal of $5,000.

All the money raised goes directly to Partners in Health, an organization with established ties to healthcare in Haiti. "They've been specializing in medical care in Haiti for years. Our money is going to the on-the-field medical care," Glina said.

The club of about 30 regular attendees is broken up into three groups: Actions, Fundraisers and Communications. Participants meet in Room 406 on Tuesdays and Room 304 on Fridays.

The most ambitious fund-raising project the group has undertaken was a beach bash-themed dance held Feb. 12 in Old Hall.

"We hoped the beach theme would uplift school spirit, since the bad weather has really been affecting everyone," said Luke Heckly, a junior member of the club.

The dance featured a Tiki bar with everal blenders to serve drinks to the attendees and student DJs. The club hopes to make it an annual event.

Future ventures in which the club expects to take part are a clothing drive and a number of  bake sales.

Some long-term plans are to send three $1,000 care packages from ShelterBox USA. The boxes contain tents, water purification tablets, nonperishable food, toys, survival kits, etc., and will be shipped directly to Port-au-Prince once acquired. 

Glina also has the long-term goal of setting up a continuous support system to five Haitian families, communicating with them and fulfilling their specified necessities during the long road to recovery. 

Other school groups have also caught on. Another dance, organized by the Interact Club, was held March 5 in the Blue Gym, and all the proceeds will go to to ShelterBox.

Hope for Haiti is not limited to raising money. Raising awareness in the school and all over the town is on their agenda as well. The group's final goal is to "make this a statewide program," with divisions centered in schools throughout Massachusetts, Glina said.

She is astounded at the progress so far: "I was so happy and surprised that students were able to step up and really take up this  cause. There is a selflessness that is simply amazing, and I look forward to expanding the club further next year. Just because the earthquake may no longer be front-page news, does not mean we cannot continue to help."