Shepard sophomore helps raise $4K for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

Shepard High School sophomore Gia Swanson and her friends from the skating world recently organized a benefit that raised $4000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Olivia Pasinski (Nazareth Academy), Nicole Nemerson (Glenbrook North), Nicole Metzler (Lemont) and Clare Feldman organized the event at Oak Lawn Ice Arena.

Lucas Gbur, the grandson of the president of the Glenwood Figure Skating Club, inspired the idea.

"Gia really looks up to May (Wiza, Lucas' grandmother). While this woman no longer has children who skate because they are now adults, she continues to volunteer her time at the local, skate and national level to provide opportunities for skaters in our area to grow their skills and compete," said proud mom Debbie Swanson, who took these great pictures.

It's been a busy few months for Gia. She and Shepard junior Jenna Bader competed for Team USA at the Spring Cup in Milan last month. Their synchronized skating club, Teams Elite, won the gold medal for Team USA at the Junior level.