Class project to help with hospital bills’ costs by selling ribbons
Though she didn’t know Carly Christenson personally, senior Grace Loeschke said she felt compelled to do her part in aiding Christenson’s family by supporting them after their loss. “(Our group) decided that this project would be a lot more relevant and successful since it was closer to home for most students,” Loeschke said. According to community service teacher Sophia Ross, a project called Cut Costs for Carly will donate all profits to pay for Christenson’s hospital stay.
“The money will go directly to the family to help pay for medical bills,” Ross said. “We’ve never done a fundraiser quite like this before.”
Loeschke helped organize this project and hoped its accessibility would get students involved.
“We’re hoping to help her family with some of the hospital bills, because they were expensive,” Loeschke said. “Carly was in the hospital for a long time and that racks up some big bills.”
Students said they chose this project because they wanted to support Christenson’s family after the tragedy. Senior McKenna Wojick said she joined the project because the benefits would be helpful for Christenson’s family and the community.
“It will help her family knowing that the entire school got in- volved, and that everyone really cared,” Wojick said. “It will also help the community because even though we don’t know her personally, we still came together to help out.”
Senior Charlie Koch, who has been in touch with Christenson’s family, knows how important this project is for them and for the students making this project possible.
“The thing I enjoy the most about this project is knowing that we’re doing this for a good cause and helping others,” Koch said. So far, members of the project have made more than 150 blue ribbons. Posters have also been put up around the school to raise awareness for the fundraiser, according to Loeschke. Group members hope to sell 200 ribbons, and will accept donations as well. Each ribbon costs $2 and are available for purchase at the basketball game March 1, and during every lunch March 4-8.
“We hung up all the posters (on Monday), and we’re getting ready for Friday to kick off our sales,” Loeschke said. Ross said her students chose the project in Christenson’s memory because it is meaningful to them and to the school as well.
“The students hoped it would be a personal fundraiser that would help the family in hard times,” Ross said. “They chose to sell blue ribbons because blue was her favorite color.”
