Mark Schlachtenhaufen
The Edmond Sun
EDMOND — Wild hugging and cheering rippled through the Memorial High School student body Friday afternoon when the Swine Week announcement was made that they are true record-breakers.
In a less-than-advantageous economic climate, Memorial students raised an eye-popping $527,704.88 — nearly double the goal of $275,000, capping off Swine Week, the school’s main annual fundraiser.
Five percent of the total raised by all three high schools will benefit Edmond’s Coffee Creek Riding Center. The rest of Memorial’s donation will benefit the Jimmy Everest Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders in Children, part of the OU heath care system.
All three Edmond high schools raised an announced total of $916,364 during their individual fundraising weeks, which means Coffee Creek Riding Center will receive at least $45,818.
At the Everest Center, children and teens receive treatment for cancers such as bone tumors, brain and spinal cord tumors, Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, leukemias (acute and chronic) and carcinomas.
Dr. William Meyer, a children’s cancer specialist with OU Children’s Physicians and director of the Jimmy Everest Center, said the funds will help in research efforts and push them to an even higher level than they are now.
“It’s certainly going to help us improve the lives of all the kids in the Jimmy Everest Center,” Meyer said.
Meyer said Swine Week 2010 exemplifies the oft-mentioned “Oklahoma spirit” in that Edmond students were willing to go the extra mile to help other children in their state.
Dr. Terrence Stull, chairman of the Department of Pediatrics for the OU Health Sciences Center, said the students’ enthusiasm was contagious.
“It’s wild. It is amazing, the energy that these kids have, and the focus they have, to really help other kids,” Stull said. “It’s been really admirable and inspiring.”
Stull said the money will improve the quality of care and enable the use of research as a tool so that in the future other children don’t have to go through such challenging times.
Hannah Van Meter, Memorial’s student council president, said the staff and the patients at the Jimmy Everest Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders in Children played a role in the decision to make it this year’s recipient.
“The kids are so incredible,” Van Meter said. “They are just like everyone else. And it’s been amazing, such a privilege to work with them.”
Van Meter, a senior planning to enroll at the University of Central Oklahoma, said it was a team effort. Swine Week received support from administration, teachers, the Student Council, royalty and the entire student body. She also thanked all who donated to the cause.
“What you guys have given us has just changed our lives and I just pray that we can change the lives of kids with cancer,” Van Meter said.
Edmond Memorial freshmen raised $49,809, sophomores raised $60,441, juniors raised $50,373 and seniors raised $112,845. Donations also came from Memorial student clubs and organizations, Edmond residents, businesses and other schools, including the city’s two other high schools and several middle and elementary schools.
Bill Terry, Memorial’s student council adviser, said the focus of the fundraising was on the process, not the total amount. Terry said he emphasizes that the recipients receive more money than they had before.
Terry said he wanted to emphasize that the largest check received was $2,500, and that while most of the money comes from Edmond some comes from relatives who live elsewhere. More funds would be forthcoming, he said.
“We didn’t get any big corporate money,” Terry said. “That’s half a million dollars worth of kids being out on the street corners dressed up like pigs, just getting nickels and dimes.”
Terry said today’s students will show future classes the values of philanthropy, planning skills and time management.
marks@edmondsun.com | 341-2121, ext. 108
