The Parent-Teacher-Student Association of Gunn High School has started a community wide donation drive to financially aide the Gunn student who was assaulted near her apartment on Arastradero Road on Oct. 30.

Donations will be used to relieve medical expenses and to purchase a laptop computer so the student can keep up with her studies, accordinig to the recent communication release.

“We have started a donation drive to enable Gunn families and the greater Palo Alto community to provide assistance to the student and her family,” members of the PTSA wrote in a recent communication release. “We understand that the student needs financial assistance to help defray medical expenses and to purchase a laptop computer so she can continue her studies while recuperating at home.”

The donation drive began when Noreen Likins, principal of Gunn High School, wished to help the student and her family to pay the expensive medical bills.

“Several parents offered to help get the word out to other schools and the PA community,”
said Joan Jacobus, parliamentarian member of the PTSA.

Palo Alto families have already started to enthusiastically donate to support the student’s cause. Recently, on Tuesday, a Palo Alto couple anonymously offered an HP laptop.

“Our goal is to show broad community support for this young woman and her family,” Jacobus said. “We hope to help her continue her studies at home while recovering and get her back on the path to her future. If they make other needs known, we will try to satisfy those needs as well.”

“The real story here is how the greater Palo Alto community can reach out to this courageous young woman and make sure that she knows that she has our full support,” Kathleen Murren, member of PTSA, agreed.

Paly students enthusiastically support the fundraiser to help one of their peers.

“I think it’s a good idea,” Paly junior Kim Chan said. “I think a lot of people would participate.”

Donations, cards, and letters can be either submitted or mailed to the Gunn Main Office on 780 Arastradero Road,Palo Alto, CA 94306. All contributions will be given to the student’s family at the end of November.