Local high school students host bake sales for women's organizations on International Women's Day

As part of the “A Day Without a Woman” protest, local high school students organized fundraisers around Chapel Hill Wednesday to benefit Planned Parenthood, HomeStart, the Compass Center and the Orange County Rape Crisis Center.

Students from East Chapel Hill High School and Chapel Hill High School set up bake sale booths outside of the Chapel Hill Public Library, the Varsity Theater on East Franklin Street and Rumors Boutique on North Graham Street.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools announced that classes would be canceled because about 400 of the total 2,000 employees planned to participate in the strike.

East Chapel Hill High School senior Leah Steiner and a group of about 100 other Chapel Hill students had plans for the day even before school was closed.

“The original idea was to get a bunch of girls together to skip school for Women’s Day to work for something that would benefit women’s organizations,” Steiner said, “So we were happy to hear that classes were canceled.”

Steiner said students prepared for the fundraisers by making announcements at school, hanging posters around the community and making baked goods to sell at their booths.

“I made a lot of calls around town looking for businesses who would let us set up outside their stores,” Steiner said. “The three businesses we got were excited to have us come out, but a lot of others said no.”

Pushback against Women’s Day was also evident. Some parents said they were frustrated by the school closure because it would force working parents to stay home or find alternative care for their children.

Still, Steiner said the bake sale at the library location made more than $200 in the first hour. Students at the Rumors and Varsity locations also said they saw a high turnout.

Besides raising money to donate, students also made a statement through their clothing. Julia Long, an East Chapel Hill High student, worked at the sale outside Rumors with several other students who all wore red T-shirts.

“We wear red to show solidarity for our views on women’s rights,” she said.

She also said supporters of “A Day Without a Woman” were encouraged to refrain from shopping for the day, excluding small businesses and businesses owned by women or minorities.

Jillian Daly, an East Chapel Hill senior who represented the group outside the Varsity, said she was pleased by the age range of students who wanted to be involved in the fundraising project.

“We have girls out here in every grade who wanted to be a part of it. We’re really trying to raise awareness for women’s equality,” Daly said.

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