Franklin Students Raise Money for Breast Cancer Patients

Students with pink hair dye, fluorescent knee socks and high spirits filled the Franklin Middle School gym Thursday to support their girls’ basketball team and to help people battling breast cancer.

This week Franklin students have been buying baked goods and cutout hearts and ribbons to raise money for the American Cancer Society because four eighth grade girls decided they wanted to put on a fundraiser to help others.

Mollie Freeman, Brenna Westburg, Jessica Hayes and Maddie Weeden started the week by selling baked goods and cutout hearts at lunchtime. To motivate people to buy the hearts, the girls promised a pizza party to the homeroom that bought the most, said Hayes.

“People have been really competitive with it,” Freeman said—competitive enough to raise around $1,000.

The week of hearts and sweets led up to the main event, the girls’ basketball game against West Chicago. At their 23-19 victory match the Bulldogs wore pink jerseys to signify the efforts to help those with breast cancer.

After the game, Nicky Williamson of the American Cancer Society thanked the four girls for their efforts to help save lives. She spoke of a few programs ACS operates, including “Look Good Feel Better,” which pairs breast cancer patients with cosmetologists, who help them feel better about their looks after gruesome treatments, and a program that provides rides for patients to their treatments and the moral support of the volunteer that takes them and stays with them.  

“I want you to know how proud I am to be here… those hearts out there are saving (lives),” she said.

Freeman said, “it’s so amazing to know we’re helping out these people.” Hayes added her appreciation for the support from the basketball team and students.

“I expected it to be big but not this big,” Weeden said. Westburg added, “It’s been a really cool experience for us.”

Franklin Vice Principal Joe Kish said the efforts of the girls showed great initiative. “This is one of the best crowds I’ve seen, and it speaks to the character of the kids,” he said.