Hollister
– San Benito High School students have dedicated themselves to
raising at least $10,000 to aid two local children battling serious
health problems, and are calling on Hollister residents and
businesses to help them meet that goal.
Hollister – San Benito High School students have dedicated themselves to raising at least $10,000 to aid two local children battling serious health problems, and are calling on Hollister residents and businesses to help them meet that goal.
“We know that $10,000 is a lot of money,” said Norma Gonzalez, a senior who is helping organize the effort. “But we’re working really hard to make sure we raise at least that much.”
Each year the SBHS Associated Student Body picks one or two locals in need and collects money to help them, then honors them at the school’s annual “benefit dance” in January.
“For years we had our ‘cheap dance’ in the winter, and then we added the ‘benefit’ part in 1996 – if you raised $10 for a good cause you could get into the dance for free,” said Juan Robledo, director of student activities. “And it just took off from there.”
The ASB distributed a memo to all teachers and staff in November, asking them to suggest local people, particularly students, staff or someone else with a tie to SBHS, to be the focus of the fundraising campaign. Eventually, two were chosen.
One recipient is Logan Wood, a 4-month-old baby battling cystic fibrosis, a common but serious hereditary disorder that affects the lungs.
“He has to take a series of shots that cost $3,000 apiece,” Robledo said. “The kids really want to help this family.”
The other recipient is Kyle Rhodes, a SBHS senior who was recently diagnosed with stage IV Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer that starts in the lymph nodes and can spread. Stage IV means that organs other than the lymph nodes are affected by the disease.
“A lot of people here know Kyle. I know Kyle and I would be happy to help his family in any way I can,” Gonzalez said.
The students have dedicated themselves to raising $10,000 by Jan. 26 to be split between the two families. Last year, students raised $5,000 for the family of Courtney Quintana, a 6-year old girl afflicted with rare blood disease called thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Sadly, Courtney died later in the spring. The most students have ever raised was $7,000 in 2004 to start a scholarship fund in the memories of P.J. Galvin and Matt Lopez, two well-known students who died in a drunken-driving accident.
“Obviously these students care a lot,” Robledo said. “They really want to help and make their communities a better place.”
Collection boxes will be placed in every classroom at SBHS, so that students have several weeks to donate. Letters are being written to local businesses asking them to donate money, and all four classes will be competing against one another to see which can raise the most money. ASB will even be organizing a “pie-a-teacher” fundraiser, asking students to donate a few bucks for the privilege of nailing a teacher in the face with a delicious baked good.
“I think that because this is for a little baby and one of our classmates, everybody’s going to work really hard to raise money,” Gonzalez said. “It’s the right thing to do.”
Danielle Smith covers education for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or ds****@fr***********.com
