Retired assistant principal Bob Howell returned to Illinois Valley Central High School March 25 to emcee the student council’s box lunch auction raising funds for cystic fibrosis.
Howell said, “Fifteen years ago when IVC started fundraising for cystic fibrosis, the average life expectancy for those with cystic fibrosis was 11 to 13 years. Today’s life expectancy is 34 years due to research made possible with funds from events like this. Please dig deep.”
Students responded, raising more than $3,600 during the 45-minute assembly. Students combined their cash to bid on special lunches prepared by student council members.
Box lunches included teenagers’ favorite foods, like hot dogs, pizza and wings. Others included specialty foods, like an Italian dinner, Hawaiian luau complete with roasted pig, and another featured pasta, sandwiches and chocolate mousse from Cyd’s Gourmet Kitchen.
The student council members who prepared the box lunches served the winning bidders and joined them for lunch.
The top bid of the day was for a special lunch prepared by cystic fibrosis ambassadors Brooklyn and Lauren Iund, sisters who have been diagnosed with the disease.
Abby Velazquez, Maggie Reuter, Ashley Pilon and Lindsay Whalen bid $1,000 for the chance to enjoy pizza rolls, mozzarella sticks, potato skins, jalapeno poppers and fruit salad. The girls said that it was not about the food, but about raising money for the cause.
Fundraising started earlier in the week with a battle between the sexes, seeing whether men or women would donate the most. During lunch March 24, organizations provided a food fair, offering students’ favorite foods for purchase to raise additional funds for the cause. Total funds raised during the week was almost $5,000.
Kellie Fleeman, associate executive director of the Peoria chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, spoke to the gathering about how grateful she is for IVC’s support.
Fleeman commented, “In the three years I have been with the local organization, IVC has raised $17,000. Add the nearly $5,000 raised this year and consider all the funds raised in the past. Your efforts have made a significant impact.”
