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GO Buckeyes! Necklaces Score

Artistic Endeavor: Cards for CARES

Lisa Ward, Parent

Lorraine Penoro, Parent

My son Zack is a 3-year-old with Salt-Wasting CAH. We live in Columbus, Ohio—home of the Ohio State Buckeyes, and we are huge OSU fans, as is the entire state. I have been told that Ohio State fans are some of the most devoted in the country. Because of this, I decided to incorporate this enthusiasm into a way to raise money for CARES.

We have a few buckeye trees in our backyard and every fall the kids and I collect the buckeyes to make “Buckeye Necklaces.”

Every Friday during football season, most people dress in OSU colors to show their support. One of the most unique ways to show your pride is by wearing Buckeye necklaces adorned with Scarlet and Gray beads. I decided to capitalize on this phenomenon by selling necklaces for $10 and key chains for $5 at the doctor’s office where I work. By doing something as simple as hanging them in the check-in window with a sign telling about CARES, I was able to raise $1,000! I was amazed to see such an outpouring of support.

Not only was I able to raise the money, but I also educated people about CAH and CARES. I really believe that I could have raised even more money, but I ran out of buckeyes! I already have plans to repeat this effort next year, scouting out more buckeye trees in neighbors’ yards. Hopefully we will surpass our contribution next year!

In the beginning, we made about $50.00- $75.00 between sales and some cash donations, but then we decided to expand our fundraiser and present the idea to the Art Honor Society of Lynnette’s high school, H. Frank Carey H.S. of Franklin Square, NY. We thought that if we could have art students create new designs, we could sell the note cards in school to teachers, and to family and friends at home. The Principal of H. Frank Carey High School, Mr. Douglas Monaghan, was immediately in favor of this project and offered his full support. He told Lynnette, “Remember, the first four letters in Carey are C-A-R-E.” The Art department, PTSA, Dad’s Club and teacher advisors were all on board and helped out in countless ways.

The students were excited to take on this project and decided they wanted to do some holiday designs before the winter holiday vacation. Within a week I had 8 original designs, which Mr. John Kaufman, the club advisor, had scanned to a CD ready for me to take home for printing. The next week, we had a packaging party complete with homebaked cookies, (I had to feed them!) and each student took home packages of cards to sell. We were able to sell some at the senior high winter concert, and at Matthew’s Cub Scout pack night.

So far, we have collected over $500.00 in sales and cash contributions, and the students have told me that they want to do new designs for an in-school sale. They are a very talented and genuinely giving group of kids who are very enthusiastic about making this project a success, which just might become an ongoing fundraiser. I am so proud of Lynnette, and all of these fine young people for all of their efforts and I know that CARES Foundation will benefit greatly from this fundraiser. 

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