Students and staff members across the Allen County
School District responded to the birthday request of an eight-year old battling
cancer by collecting snacks---snacks that will be donated to Vanderbilt
Children’s Hospital.
“Addy Clark, an Allen County youth, was diagnosed with cancer in 2012 in the form of three inoperable brain tumors,” explained James E. Bazzell Middle school educator Katie Stinson in introducing the project at the middle school. “To celebrate her eighth birthday, Addy asked that, instead of gifts for herself, she would like a donation of snacks to be made to Vanderbilt's Children's Hospital, as the hospital currently has no funding to provide snacks during visits to patients receiving treatments.”
The desire of the youngster was labeled “Operation Cupcake Cutie” and involved the schools in the District including the Allen County-Scottsville High School (ACSH) and the Allen County Career and Technical Center (ACCTC). The project was promoted by teachers and clubs at the schools with all collected items destined for the Snack Pantry at Vanderbilt for the child patients that go to the hospital for treatment and doctor visits.
“There were snack tubs throughout both schools to collect the donated snacks,” noted ACCTC teacher Laura Carter. “Allen County Primary Center donated through their Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the students at Allen County Intermediate Centers donated snacks as well. There were a lot of donations from those schools. The community and local businesses also contributed to the collection of snacks. All snack donations from each of the schools were brought to ACCTC on Friday and presented to Addy.”
Snacks were also collected by students at the middle school with Addy receiving the donations last Friday morning.
“I know what kind of students we have in this building,” Stinson said, in explaining the project to Bazzell students. “I could not be more proud to know you. The collections you took up for Addy and the family are a testament to the kind of people you all. You should be proud to be a part of something that is bigger than me and bigger than you and bigger than our community. You are touching the lives of people that are going through things that no one should ever have to go through. I commend you for your efforts and your generosity.”
Middle school principal Melissa Towery had a few words for Addy.
“We applaud you,” Towery said. “This project is so awesome.”
Operation Cupcake Cutie went hand-in-hand with Pink Out activities last week in the Allen County School District. In addition to the snacks collected, over $5,000 was raised for the American Cancer Society. The week’s activities included kiss-the-pig contests at the middle and high schools, a powder-puff volleyball game involving junior and senior girls at ACSH, t-shirt and cotton candy sales, and Pink-Out football and volleyball games for the high school athletic teams.