Spanish Honor Society helps Puerto Rico

By Erin Heaning
After the devastating results of the category 4 hurricane that hit Puerto Rico in September, ALJ’s Spanish Honor Society took it upon themselves to help with the recovery effort of the American territory. With continued effort over the past month, the Spanish Honor Society, in conjunction with the Key Club, raised $250 for Puerto Rico relief funds. The money, which was raised mostly from bake sales, was sent in the form of a Walmart gift card and to Iglesia Metodista Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico. The Pastor of the church, Juan Rivera Velazquez, received the gift card in January and presented it to a poor family living in government housing. Specifically, the money will go to Gelianed Ortiz Rodriguez, a young girl (an A student who likes to read) who lost her glasses in the hurricane. Future efforts are now underway to help Gelianed’s sister who recently had a tumor in her eye removed and who now needs spinal surgery because she has sclerosis in her back (a hardening of the spine). The surgery costs $2,000 and the church is trying to raise money to help offset the cost.