Hollister
– The families of two local children facing serious illnesses
have each received checks for $5,000 from students at San Benito
High School.
Hollister – The families of two local children facing serious illnesses have each received checks for $5,000 from students at San Benito High School.
The oversized and ornately hand-decorated checks, presented at Friday’s annual SBHS benefit dance, can’t be cashed at any bank. But they do represent a promise, and the success of the students’ fundraising effort.
Every year students in SBHS’s Associated Student Body choose members from the community who are facing financial hardship and organize an aggressive fundraiser to help them. The school’s annual benefit dance is a highlight of the effort.
This year, the families of Kyle Rhodes, a senior at SBHS with stage IV Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and Logan Wood, a 7-month-old boy battling cystic fibrosis, were chosen.
Although the students had never raised more than $7,000 in the past, they set this year’s goal at $10,000 because the money would be split between the two families.
“It motivates me to see the enthusiasm in our ASB officers,” said Juan Robledo, director of student activities. “It’s important for our community to remember we still have adolescents that care.”
As of Friday night’s dance, the ASB had collected an estimated $9,200. But senior Magan Biggs, who helped organize the dance, said she is confident the students will reach their $10,000 goal in the next couple days.
“We got a lot of community support,” Biggs said.
Biggs said the benefit has been an emotional process for the students, especially seeing the effect it has had on the families of the people the money will support.
Rene Rhodes, Kyle’s mother, said their entire family had been touched by the outpouring of support.
“I think that those kids are wonderful for what they did,” Rhodes said, “It just gives us more strength.”
Andrea Wood, Logan’s mother, said she was surprised to hear her family had been chosen.
“I’m not the kind of person that will ask for help, so to see this support makes me feel closer to the community than I have before,” said Wood.
Logan was nominated for the fundraiser by a co-worker of Wood’s whose daughter attends SBHS. The money will go toward paying Logan’s monthly medical bills, she said.
“I’m amazed,” said Wood. “I’m glad that we live in such a tight community.”
Alice Joy covers education for the Free Lance. She can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 336 or at
aj**@fr***********.com
.
