Only a few short months after learning he had leukemia in 2011, Etta Thomas’ grandfather died from the blood cancer.
Now, the Greenbrier High School student is raising money for research through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Students of the Year program.
“It’s always been in the back of my mind to do something like this,” said Thomas, who has teamed up with fellow student Julia Osborn to do a series of fundraisers.
Close to 30 students from 13 high schools in the Augusta-Aiken area have headed teams to raise funds since Jan. 28. The winners will be announced at a grand finale celebration March 19.
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Katie Andrews, who attends the Academy of Richmond County, calls herself “blessed” not to have had any friends or family with the disease, but she knows everyone is not as fortunate.
“I thought this was a good opportunity to give,” said Andrews, who has teamed up with Macie Wier for the event.
In the pandemic, students have looked for contactless ways to raise money.
Thomas and Osborn as well as Andrews and Wier have created their own fundraising t-shirts.
Thomas and Osborn also reached out to Alumni Cookie Dough for a fundraiser in February.
The business created a special dough flavor and proceeds from each sale went toward the girls’ efforts.
“It was called ‘Dough for a Cure,’” she said.
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They promoted the idea to fellow students. Osborn called it a win-win because the business is new to the area. It generated customers for the business as well as raised funds for the cause.
Andrews and Wier did some old-fashioned fundraising. They got together with some other friends and called people they knew to ask for donations.
The students participating in the Students of the Year are all civic minded, belonging to organizations at their schools that promote volunteerism and community service.
Osborn said what she likes is that despite the competition aspect, it’s a community effort to raise money for the same organization.
“We’re working together,” she said.
To learn more, visit https://studentsoftheyear.org/students-year-augusta-1
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
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