- Visit the Photo Place

Teen raises funds for thousands of vaccines

Spotsy teen raised more than $2,000 for measles vaccines

Date published: 6/5/2007

By Flowers Umble

BY AMY FLOWERS UMBLE

Because of a Spotsylvania teen, 2,155 kids won't be afflicted with measles.

Nabeel Gillani, a junior at Massaponax High School, raised money for measles vaccines for children in poor countries.

Nabeel volunteers with the American Red Cross and learned about the group's measles initiative to give vaccines to kids in developing countries.

He was surprised to see how many people die from measles every year.

When you compare it to something like AIDS, Nabeel said, measles doesn't seem like a huge epidemic. But when he considered that it costs only $1 per shot, he wanted to help.

"It's easy for a child to donate and feel like their money is going directly to helping vaccinate a child from the measles," Nabeel said.

He set up a fundraising drive at Battlefield Middle School, making a six-minute movie to teach kids about measles and playing it on the morning announcements.

He also wrote fundraising letters to neighbors and businesses and sold measles pins to classmates at Massaponax High and the Commonwealth Governor's School.

He hoped to raise $1,000 to protect 1,000 lives.

He collected $2,155.22

"I was really surprised," Nabeel said.

He joined the Red Cross Rappahannock Area Chapter youth team in 2003.

He's now the vice chairman of the group, which includes 27 members, said Kristen Taylor, volunteer resources coordinator for the chapter.

Teens help out with blood drives, work on fundraisers and service projects, and attend Red Cross training sessions, Taylor said.

This year, Nabeel was named the Red Cross volunteer of the year for all of his work.

"I don't really need an award to tell me I'm doing hard work, but it puts icing on the cake so to speak," he said.

Follow us on

Read more stories about Spotsylvania
Date published: 6/5/2007