J. Taylor Finley Middle School’s Junior National Honor Society chapter is always looking to perform a good deed. The group recently raised more than $1,500 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and its fight to find cures to some of the world’s most insidious diseases.
“The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is at the forefront of the fight to cure cancer,” according to the organization’s website. “We are the largest non-profit dedicated to creating a world without blood cancers. Since 1949, we’ve invested more than $1.2 billion in groundbreaking research, pioneering many of today’s most innovative approaches.”
Finley Junior National Honor Society faculty advisor Amy Hughes and members of the group organized a Pennies for Patients fundraising drive, which culminated last Friday in the school gym.
Huntington Superintendent James W. Polansky and Finley teachers Jennifer DiMattei, Denise Grodzicki and Katherine Kid allowed themselves to be duct taped to the gym wall before the entire student body and faculty and support staff corps. Students had donated throughout the week with many lucky enough to earn the right to get a three foot long and two inch wide piece of sturdy tape to tape one of the four volunteers to the wall. Each of the four was suspended above a chair, just in case of a slip.
The Finley gym was packed. Principal John Amato served as master of ceremonies and kept everyone on their toes while the scene played out. It was a fun afternoon, especially when the famed Finley Falcon showed up and joined the festivities. PTA volunteers were on hand, too.
“Cancer is a heck of an opponent,” states the LLS website. “It’s a bully. But we aren’t afraid of a fight. It’s elusive. But our focus never fades. It’s deadly. But we are known cancer killers. We were born to defeat this opponent. We are the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Beating cancer is in our blood.”
