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The students at Vestavia Hills High School outdid themselves, once again, in their efforts to raise money over the fall semester — an impressive feat given the previous record was already over $50,000.
On Thursday, student leaders presented The Bell Center with a check for $56,111 after raising money through events, games and more in the fall of 2017.
From Powder Puff Football to BBQ the Bucs, students and the greater community had multiple ways to contribute to the fundraising.
At the presentation assembly, Bell Center Executive Director Jeannie Colquett spoke to students about the work the organization does to help families of premature babies and children with disabilities.
“What y’all did this past fall is nothing short of amazing,” Colquett told the students about their fundraising work. “It’s been so much fun to be partners with you on this journey, as well.”
“I want to say thank you for loving children with disabilities, loving your friends that are different from you and being part of an empowering community of advocates for children with differences.”
Colquett was joined by Katherine Gorham, and Anne Martha Corley, two mothers of former Bell Center students, both of whom will be entering Vestavia Hills elementary schools next fall. Gorham and Corley described their experiences with their children going through the Bell Center, and how the staff helped each one’s unique needs.
The Bell Center offers services to infants and toddlers who experience a wide variety of developmental delays or other disabilities, creating a unique set of goals of each child.
Colquett said that the amount of funds and supplies the students donated to the organization blew her away, but it was the sense of inclusion and openness among the students and their willingness to learn more about her organization that she will treasure most.
“I think $56,000 is great, and I’m not going to look away at at all, but I think what is so much more important is that they are learning about people with disabilities, they are learning about how to be an advocate for others, they’re learning about accepting people who are different from them, and that’s the most important thing,” she said.
For parents like herself, Gorham and Corley, she said, what they want is a community that accepts, loves and empowers their children.
“I think that is the real takeaway that these high school students have,” she said, “and it makes me really happy for my daughter and all the kids at the Bell Center, that there is a world of very caring, loving people.
Senior SGA member Spencer Logsdon said that he personally learned learned a lot during the fall fundraising efforts, and was proud of his fellow students for getting behind the effort.
“It’s really encouraging to see the school work together toward one goal,” he said.
For more information about the services The Bell Center provides, visit thebellcenter.org.