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"I wanted to show appreciation for what I have by raising money for people who have nothing," says Ella Dubinsky. (Bruce Bottomley Photo)

Ella Dubinsky鈥檚 fundraising fever started with a Kleenex box.

She set it up on a table near the dining room in Risley Hall, hoping to collect a few dollars for the people of Haiti. Heavy with loonies and twoonies, each dollar actually weighs four times as much: Ella鈥檚 mother has promised to match every dollar dropped into the box, and that total will be matched again by the Canadian government.

So far, she鈥檚 collected more than $1,700, but admits she hasn鈥檛 had time to stop and count it all since Monday.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been a whirlwind, but I felt the most important thing was to get money together quickly,鈥� said Ms. Dubinsky, a first-year science student. 鈥淭he people in Haiti need help so desperately.鈥�

Her fundraising efforts were sparked by a phone call home last Thursday. Upset by the images of destruction caused by the magnitude-7.0 earthquake, she confessed her feelings of helplessness to her mother, a doctor in Sydney, Cape Breton.

鈥淚t really hit me,鈥� she explains. 鈥淪ure, we love to complain, but living in residence, we鈥檙e so used to being comfortable and being taken care of. It鈥檚 like we鈥檙e in our own little world. So to see those people in Haiti, who didn鈥檛 even have a blanket, much less a roof over their heads, was so upsetting.鈥�

After listening to her daughter, Elizabeth MacCormick then issued her a challenge.

鈥淢y mom said, 鈥楽o, why don鈥檛 you do something about it?鈥� and offered to match anything I raised,鈥� explains Ms. Dubinsky. 鈥淚 must say I was hesitant, because I didn鈥檛 have any idea of the support I would get. After all, student budgets are kind of limiting.鈥�

Still feeling unsure, she asked for permission to set up a table in Risley and sat there with her Kleenex box鈥攏ow a real till鈥攆or most of Saturday. Later, on Saturday night, she stationed herself outside the Grawood, where some fun auction items at the Risley Gala added to her efforts. Risley council has contributed too, chipping in $500.

She credits her mother for giving her the push she needed. 鈥淪he鈥檚 definitely my role model. Her line is 鈥榯o give until it hurts,鈥� which sounds a little extreme but I appreciate the sentiment.鈥�

Ms. Dubinsky will continue to accept donations in the next few days鈥斺�減lease drop by Risley if you feel like donating.鈥�