There are nearly 50 different clubs at the high school and most of them host fundraisers in an attempt to raise money for their cause. Many of these clubs are for humanitarian organizations. These clubs carefully plan fundraisers for the different parts of the year, carefully noting when people will be most interested in buying or donating. Sports competitions for the spring, raking in the fall and holiday grams for their respective holiday. They put so much work into raising money to improve other people’s lives, but some clubs make just around $1,500 a year for their efforts.

Chamber Choir is another club at the high school that has participated in a lot of  fundraising this year. But not for a humanitarian organization. Chamber Choir is raising money so that they can travel to Europe and perform.

This wouldn’t be a big deal if they were not drawing attention away from other organizations, but they are with some of their fundraisers distracting from good causes.

Chamber Choir needs around $75,000 to completely pay for the trip. By the looks of the profits now, they might just make it there. Now, imagine if that money was going towards an organization like Youth United for Global Awareness or Operation Smile. Imagine how it would benefit other people, instead of just sending singers across the Atlantic Ocean.

Operation Smile raises money to help provide free surgeries to help kids with cleft lips or cleft palates, the surgery costs $240. If the Operation Smile club were to make $75,000 they could support 312 surgeries for children in underdeveloped countries. But since it is a student run organization they do not have the same ability that Chamber Choir has, to fundraise constantly, since they do not have an adult in charge.

The money Chamber Choir is raising could be used to save lives, hundreds of lives. But instead it is being spent on an all expense paid trip to Europe. So, instead of 312 new smiles or a new shelter being built for the homeless, the cathedrals in Europe will have a wonderful selection of music performed in them.

Savannah Houdeshell, staff writer

Freshman Savannah Houdeshell is a staff writer for the 2015-2016 Colonel. She participates in Operation Smile and is on the soccer team.