Tornadoes team up for St. Jude
by Sue Austreng
Staff Writer
Their hearts bent on beating childhood cancer, members of Anoka High School’s (AHS) DECA club designated the week of May 16 as St. Jude Week.
As Devin Potvin gives up, unable to drink another drop, Alexander Jackson-Patch swallows the last gulps of the chocolate syrup-diet Snapple soda pop-dill pickle relish concoction served up as beverage for Anoka High School’s St. Jude carnival Fear Factor drinking game.
Special awareness and fund-raising events and activities were planned throughout the week, each to raise awareness, raise funds and benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
St. Jude Week activities at AHS included Just Dance and Guitar Hero, karaoke and a carnival.
Perhaps the fastest-moving activity of the week was the “miracle minute.”
During each lunch break, students scrambled to collect as many quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies as they could during the 60-second “miracle minute.”
As designated dollar amounts were reached in the coin-collecting jars, students, teachers and staff had milestone duties to perform.
“Guys had to wax their legs. (Principal Mike) Farley has to dress like Pauly D. Teachers have to dye their hair neon colors… It was just a fun way to challenge kids to collect as many coins as they can for St. Jude,” said Ashley Thelen, senior DECA member.
For the May 20 fund-raising carnival event at the high school, students could enjoy a slice of pizza, do the cake walk, ring toss or bean bag toss, get a faux tattoo or attempt to overcome their “fear factor.”
The Fear Factor contest had students going head-to-head to see who could eat the most extra hot and spicy chicken wings, drink a concoction of chocolate syrup, diet Snapple soda pop and dill pickle relish, and other equally challenging feats.
“This is just fun, but it also is a way for students to become more aware of childhood cancers and to help support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital,” said DECA instructor Doug Otto.
Students were also challenged to send donation-seeking letters to at least 25 family members and friends.
Some used their graduation announcement lists, some used Christmas card lists, some relied on family reunion lists, but all were determined to collect as many donations as they could to support St. Jude and end childhood cancer.
What is St. Jude?
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is one of the world’s premiere pediatric cancer research centers. The hospital is working to save the lives of boys and girls and to find more effective ways to treat and cure childhood cancer and other deadly diseases.
No child is every turned away because of the family’s inability to pay for the lifesaving care at St. Jude.
Donations help pay for chemotherapy, radiation and bone marrow transplants that can save the lives of children stricken with terminal illness.
To learn more about St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, visit www.stjude.org.
Sue Austreng is at sue.austreng@ecm-inc.com
