NewsPay It Forward

Actions

West Michigan teen raising money for hurricane relief in Costa Rica

Posted at 8:52 PM, Nov 28, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-29 08:57:21-05

A teenager from West Michigan is working hard to help a community affected by Hurricane Otto. Leah Miller is a senior at Lakeview High School, but has been studying abroad in Costa Rica for the past five months.

Miller is currently studying in the Guanacaste Province of Costa Rica, which she says was hit hard by the hurricane. She has started a fundraising pageto help the community that's welcomed her with open arms get back on their feet.

So far, Miller has raised over $800, but she's set a goal of raising $10,000. She plans on giving the money to volunteers in the area to help buy supplies like food and toiletries. If she raises enough money, she wants to use the funds to help rebuild some of the homes that have been destroyed. Miller says she only has about 30 days left studying in Costa Rica and wants to make an impact before she leaves to come back to West Michigan.

"It was a very big shock to this community," said Leah Miller. "I've lived here about five months now and it has been so peaceful. The hurricane has really negatively affected this community and it's sad to be seeing this much destruction to the way of life here. Everything is devastating."