Students Remembered in Fundraising Effort

News Release: From: Rebel Student Care Fund TRAGEDY INSPIRES COMMUNITY FOCUS On February 23, 2008, five families received the call that no parent wants to receive. A motor vehicle accident late at night near Reo , Indiana injured five South Spencer students. Five kids out for a fun-filled evening with friends turned tragic in an instant. Picture an ER waiting room quickly filling with concerned family members and friends awaiting news of those injured and their conditions. One of the hardest parts of the night was the realization that it could have been any child and their family who was affected. Some turned to prayer for their comfort, some cried as they were unsure of the future, and some sat in shock unable to comprehend what had just happened. While there were no lives lost that night; that hasn’t always been the case. In the past, due to various circumstances, South Spencer has been faced with multiple student tragedies. While some families faced unexpected expenses to travel for medical care, doctor appointments, and/or therapy; some were faced with the devastating loss of their loved one and associated funeral expenses. There are many different types of crises that families in our community have faced. While that immediate crisis is emotional, the additional financial burden can in some cases devastate a family’s future. When you combine both the emotional and financial aspects of any tragic situation, it quickly becomes overwhelming. This prompted a group of local citizens to ask: “How can we as a community help?” The answer was found in the creation of The Rebel Student Care Fund. The purpose of this PERPETUAL fund is to provide limited financial resources to families of South Spencer students (K-12) dealing with a traumatic event. While no amount of financial assistance will take away the pain resulting from unexpected traumatic events, our goal is to make some of the expenses a little more bearable; and in the process bring the community a little closer together. The 2008 Celebration of Life and the Inaugural Benefit for this fund will be held on Saturday, June 21, 2008 at the American Legion Post #254 beginning at 5:00 PM. This Celebration and Benefit will include dinner, music, and raffles, silent and live auctions. This is an opportunity for the South Spencer community to celebrate the lives of our students and their families. There are plans to make this an annual event. If you are unable to attend the benefit and would like to donate, THE REBEL STUDENT CARE FUND account has been set up at Freedom Bank in Reo , Indiana . For questions or to contact someone about this story, please contact Karen Martin at 1.270.925.3714 or Rita Daming at 1.812.480.8999.