Massapequa's Fairfield Elementary School Student Council is off to another year dedicated to charitable causes. To date, the group has raised more than $1,300.00 to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina.

In fact, the energetic fifth and sixth graders, under the direction of Fairfield teacher and student council leader Kim Ordon, inspired the entire student body to pitch in with the relief effort by creating posters which they hung around their school to raise awareness.

First grader Vincent Pereira decided to donate the $100.00 he raised selling iced tea out of his front yard to the Student Council's efforts and, as a result, has been adopted by the group as an honorary member. The funds raised will be channeled to Katrina victims through the American Red Cross.

Other events are already in the planning stages, such as the "Great American Bake Sale," sponsored by Parade magazine to end childhood hunger, the "Thai Book Drive," to donate English language textbooks and reading books to poor students in Asian countries, and the group's yearly commitment to raising funds for the Luke Neuhadel Foundation for pediatric cancer. "The students are always excited to begin a new project," stated Ms. Ordon. "We definitely have an exciting year ahead of us."