'Race For Trace' Highlights KYLA Graduation
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
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Wednesday night, Warsaw Community High School junior Nate Stone was chosen out of the 29 juniors to present his project, “Race for Trace”.
The 5K Run/Walk will be May 30 at 9 a.m. on the Winona Lake Greenway Trail and will honor Tracey Ann Yeager.
Stone said the date was chosen because it is about the one-year anniversary of Tracey’s passing from breast cancer. The 5K will benefit the Kosciusko County Cancer Care Fund.
Tracey, the wife of Steve Yeager and mother of three, graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1990. She earned the rank of lieutenant as a naval officer, and flew CH-46 Helicopters until 1999, Stone said.
“She never met a stranger,” Stone said.
Tracey was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 and fought it for five years. On May 31, 2010, she died at 42 years old.
The Cancer Care Fund is administered by the K21 Foundation, Stone said. It is dedicated to reducing the challenges facing cancer patients and their families by financially assisting them during their fight against cancer. Last year, Stone said, KCCCF assisted 99 families.
“This fund helps address a variety of needs they may face,” Stone said.
The needs may include anything from wigs and prosthetics to helping pay rent or mortgages.
Stone went over the timeline of his project.
In November, he met with Rich Hadadd, Kosciusko County Health Foundation, and with Steve Yeager. In December, he received the permits for the 5K from Winona Lake.
In January, Stone created a Facebook page for the event and mailed out sponsorship letters. He also met with Robin Brown to discuss marketing.
Attending the Pink Out Night in February, he advertised the race at that event. During the month, he also confirmed sponsorships, and finalized and secured the logo for the event.
Then in March, he passed out posters to local businesses, arranged sound system volunteers, arranged a drinking water donation from Rabb Kinetico and met with Josh Wildman of Wildman Uniform to choose a race t-shirt design and style. Stone also arranged for advertising on a billboard on Argonne Road.
He contacted all the Warsaw schools in May, distributed flyers and posters throughout Warsaw and organized food to be supplied for the post-race event. This week he also did an on-air interview about “Race for Trace” on WRSW.
Friday, Stone will attend the First Friday event where ML Motorsports will reveal the “Race for Trace” logo on its race car.
Some of the items left for Stone to do, he said, was to get insurance, order shirts, finalize volunteers and details.
So far, Stone reported, he raised $14,000 in donations and sponsorships for the 5K. To date, he has 100 registrants and that is increasing.
Stone said he tried as hard as possible to keep his expenses as low as possible to provide the maximum benefit to the Cancer Care Fund. His expenses total $1,217.72 to date.
He thanked the Yeager family for their support, as well as KYLA, K21 Foundation, KRA and Bill Crane, sponsors, Robin Brown, Allegra Footprint Grant, Breakfast Optimist Club, donors to KCCCF and volunteers.
“Also, I want to thank my mom who has been a great help to me through all of this,” Stone said. “I also want to thank God because it is through his will I am able to accomplish all of this.”
He encouraged everyone to participate in the 5K and said it will be a great event.
He concluded with a quote Tracey used during her battle with cancer.
From the New King James Bible, Isaiah 40:31, it says, “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”
Guest speaker for the KYLA graduation was OrthoWorx Executive Director Brad Bishop.
Over the years, Bishop said, he had the opportunity to present at KYLA sessions and always enjoyed his time. It was always an opportunity for him to enlighten young people on the orthopedic companies in the area.
When he was a student at Whitko High School, Bishop said, he thought Kosciusko County was the last place he would find a career. He studied journalism at Ball State University, and after a couple of jobs, he ended up at Zimmer in a field he thought was too narrow at the time.
But it goes to show, he said, that the county has a variety of job opportunities for people.
In 2009, BioCrossroads conducted a study of the area. It made several recommendations, including putting together a business league. That led to a $7 million investment by the Lilly Endowment to create what is now OrthoWorx, Bishop said.
OrthoWorx is working on several areas, including education, workforce development, travel, community enhancement and branding so that people know Warsaw is the orthopedic capital of the world.
“Whether it’s about students, employees or surgeons, it really is about education and we need to focus on that,” Bishop said.
He also talked about leadership being an art that a person needs to learn over time, not from books. There is much to learn about leadership, he said.
“Woody Allen said 85 percent of life is showing up. My theory is that 85 percent of community leadership is showing up. Where you take it from there is up to you,” he said.
He told the KYLA graduates to get started now on being a leader, don’t hold back and follow their passion and interests.
KYLA President and Curriculum Director Coral Amspaugh-Topolski announced the at-large KYLA members for next year. Chosen were Nate Stone, WCHS, and Mikayla Wireman, Tippecanoe Valley High School.[[In-content Ad]]
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Wednesday night, Warsaw Community High School junior Nate Stone was chosen out of the 29 juniors to present his project, “Race for Trace”.
The 5K Run/Walk will be May 30 at 9 a.m. on the Winona Lake Greenway Trail and will honor Tracey Ann Yeager.
Stone said the date was chosen because it is about the one-year anniversary of Tracey’s passing from breast cancer. The 5K will benefit the Kosciusko County Cancer Care Fund.
Tracey, the wife of Steve Yeager and mother of three, graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1990. She earned the rank of lieutenant as a naval officer, and flew CH-46 Helicopters until 1999, Stone said.
“She never met a stranger,” Stone said.
Tracey was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 and fought it for five years. On May 31, 2010, she died at 42 years old.
The Cancer Care Fund is administered by the K21 Foundation, Stone said. It is dedicated to reducing the challenges facing cancer patients and their families by financially assisting them during their fight against cancer. Last year, Stone said, KCCCF assisted 99 families.
“This fund helps address a variety of needs they may face,” Stone said.
The needs may include anything from wigs and prosthetics to helping pay rent or mortgages.
Stone went over the timeline of his project.
In November, he met with Rich Hadadd, Kosciusko County Health Foundation, and with Steve Yeager. In December, he received the permits for the 5K from Winona Lake.
In January, Stone created a Facebook page for the event and mailed out sponsorship letters. He also met with Robin Brown to discuss marketing.
Attending the Pink Out Night in February, he advertised the race at that event. During the month, he also confirmed sponsorships, and finalized and secured the logo for the event.
Then in March, he passed out posters to local businesses, arranged sound system volunteers, arranged a drinking water donation from Rabb Kinetico and met with Josh Wildman of Wildman Uniform to choose a race t-shirt design and style. Stone also arranged for advertising on a billboard on Argonne Road.
He contacted all the Warsaw schools in May, distributed flyers and posters throughout Warsaw and organized food to be supplied for the post-race event. This week he also did an on-air interview about “Race for Trace” on WRSW.
Friday, Stone will attend the First Friday event where ML Motorsports will reveal the “Race for Trace” logo on its race car.
Some of the items left for Stone to do, he said, was to get insurance, order shirts, finalize volunteers and details.
So far, Stone reported, he raised $14,000 in donations and sponsorships for the 5K. To date, he has 100 registrants and that is increasing.
Stone said he tried as hard as possible to keep his expenses as low as possible to provide the maximum benefit to the Cancer Care Fund. His expenses total $1,217.72 to date.
He thanked the Yeager family for their support, as well as KYLA, K21 Foundation, KRA and Bill Crane, sponsors, Robin Brown, Allegra Footprint Grant, Breakfast Optimist Club, donors to KCCCF and volunteers.
“Also, I want to thank my mom who has been a great help to me through all of this,” Stone said. “I also want to thank God because it is through his will I am able to accomplish all of this.”
He encouraged everyone to participate in the 5K and said it will be a great event.
He concluded with a quote Tracey used during her battle with cancer.
From the New King James Bible, Isaiah 40:31, it says, “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”
Guest speaker for the KYLA graduation was OrthoWorx Executive Director Brad Bishop.
Over the years, Bishop said, he had the opportunity to present at KYLA sessions and always enjoyed his time. It was always an opportunity for him to enlighten young people on the orthopedic companies in the area.
When he was a student at Whitko High School, Bishop said, he thought Kosciusko County was the last place he would find a career. He studied journalism at Ball State University, and after a couple of jobs, he ended up at Zimmer in a field he thought was too narrow at the time.
But it goes to show, he said, that the county has a variety of job opportunities for people.
In 2009, BioCrossroads conducted a study of the area. It made several recommendations, including putting together a business league. That led to a $7 million investment by the Lilly Endowment to create what is now OrthoWorx, Bishop said.
OrthoWorx is working on several areas, including education, workforce development, travel, community enhancement and branding so that people know Warsaw is the orthopedic capital of the world.
“Whether it’s about students, employees or surgeons, it really is about education and we need to focus on that,” Bishop said.
He also talked about leadership being an art that a person needs to learn over time, not from books. There is much to learn about leadership, he said.
“Woody Allen said 85 percent of life is showing up. My theory is that 85 percent of community leadership is showing up. Where you take it from there is up to you,” he said.
He told the KYLA graduates to get started now on being a leader, don’t hold back and follow their passion and interests.
KYLA President and Curriculum Director Coral Amspaugh-Topolski announced the at-large KYLA members for next year. Chosen were Nate Stone, WCHS, and Mikayla Wireman, Tippecanoe Valley High School.[[In-content Ad]]
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