Helping Children Make a Wish
written by GSHS Senior Abby Teska
I
Abby (far right) enlisted friends to help
her meet her goal!
chose to support The Make-A-Wish Foundation
for my senior project because I wanted to
do something that would give back to my
community- something that could bring a smile
to someone’s face. The first thought that came
to my mind was Make-A-Wish. Knowing that
I could help a child who is going through the
unthinkable, smile, brought me so much joy.
My personal goal was to raise $4,400.
Throughout this school year, I held a number
of events to help spread the word about what
I was doing. I contacted Metzgar Elementary
School to propose activities that would help me
fundraise. During the holidays, I hosted a craft
table at the school’s Santa’s Secret Workshop,
where kids got to enjoy making Christmas crafts
with their families for a small fee. I also held a
Silver Wars event later in the year at Metzgar
during which each class raised money to help
my “Wish” child. This event alone raised over
$1000 dollars!
In addition to the activities at Metzgar, I
went to my church multiple times to speak in
front of the congregation and ask for any help
they were willing to supply. I also created a
fundraising page to encourage my friends and
family to send in money or donate online. In
the end, I raised $4,841 for The Make-A-Wish
Foundation, surpassing my goal by hundreds
of dollars. It is a wonderful feeling to give back
to my community and help make a child’s wish
come true!
Competing for a Cause
Every spring, middle school students compete against one another in the
GSMS Olympics, an event organized by Student Council and their advisor, Mrs.
Barb Garafola, to raise money for charity. Past Olympics have supported the
local affiliates for the American Heart Association, Muscular Dystrophy, Down
Syndrome, Huntington’s Disease, and Autism. This year, all funds were donated to
Children’s Hospital.
To enter the competition, which takes place during the school day, students
purchase an Olympics t-shirt and mentally and physically prepare to take on
their competitors in the Potato Sack Race, Bobsled, Jump Rope, Bowling, and
Basketball challenges.
Thanks to everyone’s efforts, over $350 was donated to Children’s Hospital!
GSHS Interact
Club Leaves
Mark Locally
and Globally
Interactors helped build bunk beds
for the Welcome Home shelter.
With a membership of over 50 students
at the high school level, Greensburg Salem’s
Interact Club, sponsored by the Rotary Club
of Greensburg, always has volunteers on
hand for projects that support their school,
community, and global initiatives. After
hosting the Harlem Wizards basketball
fundraiser in the fall, the group was able
to donate $1,000 to Zachary’s Mission,
a local nonprofit that supports families
of medically fragile children, and $1,000
towards the Rotary cause of purchasing
a solar suitcase to provide electricity
for medical emergencies in third world
countries.
Interactors have helped construct bunk
beds at the local Welcome Home Shelter,
distributed fruit and nonperishables
through the Food Bank, made Baby’s First
Thanksgiving and Easter tutus for Zachary’s
The bobsled event was a crowd favorite!
Mission, and collected over 2,000 holiday
cards for Veterans. Volunteers assisted
at Overly’s Country Christmas, built fire
hydrant flags for the Adopt-a-Hydrant
program, and were food runners at the
United Way’s Open Your Heart to A Senior
Bingo.
The club will be hosting the Service
Above Self Memorial Day 5K this year
on Monday, May 27th at Lynch Field.
Interact will be donating the profits to
Wounded Warrior Project and PA Hero
Race, two worthy organizations that have
supported veterans both locally and
nationally. If you would like to participate
in the event and help Interact support
their causes, please email advisor Melissa
O’Brien at [email protected] or
call 724-832-2907.
GREENSBURG SALEM
❘
SUMMER 2019
29