4Elementary School News

Cystic Fibrosis March teaches true meaning of "caring"

How do you teach students the importance of caring? You can tell them about it. You can ask them to write about it. You can have them look it up on the Internet. But sometimes, "doing" is the best teacher.

On Thursday, May 8, Fonda-Fultonville Elementary School PreK-4 students showed the community how much they care as they participated in the school's second annual Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Mini-March to raise money for CF research. The children collected donations from family and friends in the weeks prior to the walk.

Virtually every elementary student stepped out into the sunshine to march two laps around the school's 400-meter track. At the end of the march, second grade teacher Jamie McRedmond took the microphone to share the results of the elementary school fundraising effort. Amidst the happy screams of over 500 students, they learned that they had raised $12,120.02.

Top fund-raising classrooms were Nicole Egan's second grade—$800.50, Kristen Wieczenski's Pre-K—$837.00, and Lorraine Stellato's first grade—$998.00. Top individual fund-raisers were kindergartner Kameron Fitzpatrick, second grader Nikolas Couture, and first grader Alexis Williams. 

Cystic Fibrosis strikes close to home

Cystic fibrosis is very real to Fonda-Fultonville Elementary School students; two of their classmates have the disease. Kindergartner Cayden Egelston was diagnosed at birth in 2003 following a state-mandated screening for the disease. Doctors immediately tested his older sister Rhionah who, because neonatal testing had not been required prior to 2002, had never been tested. Her tests also proved positive for CF.

Although the siblings have relatively mild symptoms, their schoolmates understand that this is a life-threatening disease with no cure. CF is a  genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive systems of approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States. Nearly ten million Americans carry the defective CF gene.

"These kids can be really proud," said CF Foundation Director of Special Events Erin Farrell. "Fonda is the largest mini-march we have in the Northeastern New York Chapter of the foundation. This is only its second year and they have already recruited the Fonda-Fultonville Middle School and Mayfield Central Schools to participate."

Mini-March kicks-off Great Strides

The successful Mini-March sets the stage for the community's Fifth Annual Cystic Fibrosis Great Strides 5K Walk on Saturday, May 10 at Fonda-Fultonville Central School. Registration is at 9 a.m. and the walk begins at 10 a.m. The event promises food, entertainment, and over 50 raffles.

"Over the past four years, this community has raised over $100,000 for the foundation. With what the kids have done today, we should break the $150,000 mark this year," said Ms. Farrell.

To contribute to the walk, visit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation web site at www.cff.org/Great_Strides/ and follow the instructions to donate or simply join the walkers at the Great Strides walk.

<back