WAOW - Newsline 9, Wausau News, Weather, SportsUNICEF leaders say education leads to high collection totals

UNICEF leaders say education leads to high collection totals

by Cami Mountain

MERRILL (WAOW) -- In the last 45 years, kids in Merrill have collected thousands of dollars for kids in need through the international organization UNICEF.  Leaders say kids grab onto the cause because of the vast amount of education they get that they in turn use to teach adults who then donate.

In every school in the Merrill school district, is a UNICEF educator.  Someone who goes from room to room telling kids exactly what the organization does.  It helps people around the world, stricken by disaster, through a sort of change drive.

"Sometimes it goes to immunizations, if there's starvation going on in the country, if a country has a waterborne disease; to try and eradicate that waterborne disease." 

Richard Flatau has worked with UNICEF in Merrill for 30 years.  It's a group that often gets recognition for the amount of money it collects.

Flatau credits that to educators like JoAnn Opsahl.  She's been teaching about UNICEF since 1976.

She says, "The kids, starting in kindergarten, hear about UNICEF year after year through high school.  That helps, I'm sure."

If you're unfamiliar with the name, these bright orange boxes might help tie it all together.  UNICEF leaders ask kids to take them trick or treating and ask for donations along with candy.

In years past, fourth grader Michelle Clark has done it.

Clark says, "There are a lot of kid that need help and they need their medicine and they need their water."

This year, the money inside each box will help people in the Central African Republic, a African country near the equator.

With six cents a child won't go thirsty.  Ten cents, can help prevent blindness.  It's kids like these that are doing that.

Flatau adds, "They're going to help somebody they're never going to meet but they're going to make the world a better place."

UNICEF in Merrill was started in 1964 by a man named Jim Lewis and he started it on a dare.

He was unable to participate in this story.  He's recovering from a recent surgery.  But without him, the organization would be short about $100,000.

Online Reporter:  Cami Mountain