The Tyrone YAN Club is eager to share the story of the Panzi Hospital and its founder, Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Denis Mukwege, with the student body during a school-wide assembly on Friday, January 25.

“This is a very special year with Dr. Mukwege winning the Nobel Peace Prize,” said YAN advisor Cummins McNitt, “so this is a perfect time to bring a greater understanding of Dr. Mukwege’s work to the entire school.”

Since opening Panzi Hospital in 1999, Dr. Mukwege has provided care for the most vulnerable of patients in areas across the Democratic Republic on Congo. Since 2008, members of the Tyrone High School YAN club have been supporting Dr. Mukwege and the Panzi Hospital through fundraisers and activities.

“YAN has wanted to bring Panzi representatives to our school for a couple years now to bring awareness to our students,” said YAN president Hannah Gampe, “Tyrone is the longest supporting high school of the Panzi Hospital. YAN students over the next couple weeks will be hanging posters and gearing up for this major event. The assembly will also be the kick-off to our annual Pennies for Panzi campaign.”

At the assembly, students will learn about the mission of the Panzi Hospital, and a representative of the Panzi Foundation USA will recognize the work that Tyrone students have done to support the hospital and the work of Dr. Mukwege.

Students will have a live Skype session with staff from the Panzi Hospital, including a questions and answers on the work of the hospital, and what students can do to help.

There will also be items for sale at the auditorium and Middle School LGI to benefit the Panzi Foundation.

Following the assembly, all social studies classes will be invited to the Middle School LGI room during their scheduled class time to learn more about the work of the hospital and to discuss the matters on a more personal level.

However, any classes and their teachers may attend, along with any staff member who would like to stop in during the course of the day. Items such as mugs and coffee will be available for purchase throughout the day as well.

YAN co-adviser Tracy Redinger hopes the event will help students gain a better understanding of the current situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“I’m hope students leave understanding that even we, here in central PA, can make a difference in the life of another human being halfway across the world, whom we may never meet, with a simple act of kindness like a donation to our annual Pennies for Panzi campaign,” says Redinger, ‘We all have the potential to make this world a better place…it’s in the choices we make and the actions we perform. What seems so small and insignificant to us can be a life-saving or life-changing gift for someone else.”

McNitt is not sure if the Panzi assembly will become an annual event for the group.

“Much would be determined by the staff of Panzi Foundation USA.  Their staff is small and they have limited time,” says McNitt. “At this point there are no plans to make it annual, but it could certainly go that direction if things work out well.”

The Pennies for Panzi campaign will begin Monday, January 21st and run through Friday, February 8th. All social studies classes will participate, however, any other teacher or staff member is also welcome to join in the fundraiser.

At the end of the fundraiser, there will be two winners, top pennies raised and overall funds raised. The winners will receive 40 dollars worth of goodies from the Nutrition Group (winners choice).

The proceeds will be combined with those raised from the YAN Halloween event and other projects and will be sent to the Panzi Foundation in May.