Honor Society's Big Event Raises Money for Autism Society

Clad in bright yellow T-shirts supporting a ause, a select group of students competed in a team bike race Saturday as part of an event to raised money for the Autism Society.

"We picked the Autism Society this year because my little brother has autism," said junior David Heinen. "We thought we'd give a little recognition for something else."

The eighth annual Big Event, organized by the Greendale High School Honor Society, garnered the fundraising efforts of approximately 50 students, who had to raise a minimum of $25 in pledges apiece before setting off in teams of four to five in a bike race to find clues hidden throughout the Village of Greendale.

While a total of funds raised this year was unavailable early Saturday, the Honor Society raised approximately $3,500 in last year's Big Event. Previous fundraising efforts by the Honor Society have benefitted Susan G. Komen for a Cure, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and more.

"We've gotten positive feedback from people within the special needs community," said Heinen. "They were really encouraged by the event."

Planning for the event began in January as the Honor Society's eight board members began creating the clues and plotting out the approximately 9-mile long race courses. Each team had to include at least two Honors Society members, and the teams started out the race in an order based on how much money they were able to raise through pledges.

"We took care of the funding before the fun," said National Honor Society advisor Tari Garnaas. "The students set all of this up, including the selection of an organization to support."

Garnaas, who has served as the NHS advisor for 21 years, said this year's Big Event will be her "swan song" as she will retire at the end of this school year after teaching for 35 years.

"It has been a wonderful experience," she said.