Rochester Students Raise Over $21,000 for Grace Centers of Hope

Tears flooded Shannon Sokol’s eyes when she heard the ballpark figure that students raised for Grace Centers of Hope.

Sokol, who is the communications director for the Pontiac-based charity, was floored, she said — even before learning that the total amount raised during the school’s charity week for the organization was $21,400, surpassing the student body's goal by over $6,000.

“I am still amazed … just in awe at all that they’ve done,” Sokol said. “We felt unbelievably honored and absolutely speechless in the amount that they raised.”

Raising funds with loads of fun

Prior to charity week, which took place last week at , a handful of charities presented their missions and needs to the student council. The student council then made the decision to designate Grace Centers of Hope as their recipient for Adams Charity Week, said Bryan Lindstrom, student council coordinator and social studies teacher at Adams.

“They were coming up short of what they needed for their fiscal year and we have a ton of kids who have helped out at Grace Centers of Hope in the past. Plus, it’s a local charity in our backyard,” he said, explaining why Grace Centers of Hope was selected.

Sokol further explained that the nonprofit was at a monthly deficit and that the students helped Grace Centers of Hope come from behind and keep their doors open to those in need. Not only was she thrilled with how much the students and teachers were able to raise, she noted that the student council and staff had an incredibly unique way of doing so.

Charity week involved students raising funds leading up to a pep assembly, at a volleyball and basketball tournament, with penny wars and culminating with tickets into a Saturday night dance. The teachers helped to make raising money prior to the pep assembly a huge success, said Lindstrom, by competing in a teacher rumble. Teachers were competing for wrestling belts and went all out, said Lindstrom, by vowing to do wacky things in order to beat out the other teachers by earning the most money for the cause.

“All the teachers came up with unique fundraising ideas to get the kids involved, and the kids got incredibly involved,” Sokol said. “They came up with things to stir interest like to see their teacher's head shaved or their teacher's hair colored purple … it’s the most creative and exciting fundraiser I’ve worked with.”

In addition to raising money, every night last week a group of Adams students donated their time at Grace Centers of Hope.

“We were just elated, and I don’t even know how to say thank you to everyone that gave a dollar, a dime, a quarter, a nickel…” Sokol said.

Musson continues the charity beat

This week students were working hard at a food drive to benefit Grace Centers of Hope. What started with a few classrooms deciding to incorporate a food drive into their Valentine’s Day parties on Tuesday grew into a schoolwide initiative to encourage community members to get involved and donate to a good cause.

Fourth grade Musson teacher Kimberly Travis noted that the idea behind the food drive stemmed from the school's theme of "encourage" this year. She said there have been assemblies, along with a buketfilling theme in each classroom thanks to the book Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud.

“We have been incorporating ways in which we can be encouraging to others in our community by including activities at our classroom parties such as this,” Travis said.