OAKDALE, Pa. -- Students from an area high school have created a unique idea to raise funds for the earthquake victims in Haiti.

Basketball players from West Allegheny High School came up with the “Hoops for Haiti” idea as their way to help with the relief efforts.

The basketball booster club will be accepting donations at Friday’s game. The club will also be selling wrist bands and “Hoops for Haiti” T-shirts.

Basketball player John O’Donne developed the initial idea for the fundraiser. O’Donne’s teammate, Nick Herman, suggested the idea for the wrist bands.

“It says ‘Hoops for Haiti’ and we’re going to sell 100,” Herman said. “But we’re going to have to order a lot more.”

West Allegheny officials liked the fundraising idea some much, they contacted other schools in the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Conference to join them in their effort.

District Athletic Director Dave McBain said it’s good for the students to be involved in this type of work.

“It’s an opportunity to demonstrate the involvement of our student-athletes to the global community and obviously for the kids to give back initially and also give a sense of community service as well,” McBain said.

McBain has been contacted by several other athletic directors from the WPIAL who have said their on board with the fundraiser and will be accepting donations for victims in Haiti at their basketball games.

“I didn’t think it was going to become this big,” O’Donne said. “I thought it was going to just be our game Friday and I guess it just went from there and it’s all over the place.”