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SOUTH WHITLEY - Whitko High School students got into the holiday spirit this month and raised more than $1,500 during SADD's Fourth Annual Chain-Link Race for Food and Money for the Needy.
If a student donated one canned good, a link was added to that student's class' "chain." For every $1 a student donated, five links were added to that student's class' "chain."
Thursday, a school convocation was held in the auditorium to celebrate the holidays and to recognize the students for their hard work.
If the students raised more than $1,000 during the inter-class competition and charity fund-raiser, technology assistant Tony Moran agreed to have his hair shaved off. Thursday, he kept his promise as WHS seniors Holly Slater and Angie Herron and WHS principal Jim Suding shaved Moran's head, leaving only bangs.
Patty Weybright, SADD sponsor, said the seniors raised the most money and canned goods, winning themselves a Papa John's pizza party today.
In addition to the $1,500 the WHS students raised, the school collected approximately 1,800 cans. Those cans will be added to the 3,500 cans South Whitley Elementary school collected. On Saturday, the WHS FFA and SADD members will distribute the food to needy families in the community.
Weybright offered several examples of how students - and the public - really got into the competition and fund-raiser.
On Monday, an anonymous older man delivered a big coffee can to the high school filled with state quarters because he wanted to help. He collected the quarters for two years, and the total amount he donated in quarters is $231.
One WHS girl went home, asked her family what they could do to help, and she and her family donated $70 to the cause. Another senior donated $50 out of her own pocket, while another girl and her friends raised $126 among themselves.
Even though one student recently lost her father and her mother just lost her job, she donated $100 of her own money.
All to help those in need in the community.
Weybright said the South Whitley and Pierceton communities have been hit hard by the poor economy. But yet the community and the students still give.
"The need is extreme," said Weybright.
The SADD fund-raiser for the needy ran from the first of December through this week. Even after the deadline, students continued to donate food and money, Weybright said, just because they wanted to help.
In addition, the National Honor Society also conducted a fund-raiser to raise money to help those in need during the holidays. The $800 NHS raised will be added to the $1,500 the SADD fund-raiser accumulated, Weybright said.
This is the best year for the annual SADD event, she said. Last year, the school raised $500. This year, counting the money raised by SADD, NHS and the value of the canned food, more than $5,000 has been raised for those in need in the Whitko Community School Corp. community.
