Richard Castaldo was left paralyzed after the 1999 Columbine High School shootings.

While in the hospital, he was visited by Nobel Peace Prize winner Jose Ramos-Horta. Ramos-Horta is one of two Nobel Peace Prize winners from East Timor honored for his courage and persistence in that country's struggle for freedom.

"Many of East Timor's schools were dismantled and shipped away for sale by Indonesian-supported militias that terrorized the nation from 1975 to1999, when East Timor voted for independence from Indonesia."

Inspired by Ramos-Horta, Castaldo wishes to give something back to the world community by leading another effort to help the children of East Timor. Sponsored by PeaceJam Foundation, his project has been titled PeaceJam Educational Relief for East Timor (PERFET). PeaceJam Foundation is a Denver-based organization formed in 1996 to inspire teens to become "a new generation of peacemakers."

Pomona's Peer Counselors have decided to join in this amazing service project. The group will be collecting school supplies as well as monetary donations from February 1-March 1.

Joining Pomona peer counselors in the effort will be students from the five elementary schools that feed into Pomona plus students from Moore Middle School.

This is going to be a huge, community-wide project, so please get involved by bringing money and/or new, unused school supplies to the counseling office or your third hour class any time during the Month of February.

(Quotes are taken from the Rocky Mountain News.)