General McLane High School Wins Caring Place Contest
EDINBORO, PA (May 16, 2017) – General McLane High School’s Caring Club placed first in Highmark Caring Place’s Awareness Raising Project for National Child Grief Awareness Day. Forty-five schools entered the contest.
“One of the contributing factors was that the entire District and community supported this cause,” said Brenda Hertel, the Caring Club advisor. “We are fortunate and grateful for our the entire community’s support of our students who are grieving. Loss and death are events that affect everyone and it’s reassuring to live in a caring community.”
General McLane School District raised more than $1,500 for the Caring Place through their National Child Grief Awareness Day fundraising efforts throughout the week of November 16. All four schools participated in fundraising events, which were coordinated by the Caring Club. Events included a Supply Drive, a Memory Tree & Wall Message of Support, a Chinese Auction and Bake Sale, a Hair Dye Station to streak students’ hair blue, a Photobooth and a Blue-Out. Edinboro Elementary School also held a poster contest.
Community sponsors also donated to the cause and hung signs in their window indicating their support. Businesses donors included: AirBorn Inc., Better Baked Foods, Brian & Carol Johnson, Remax Realtors, Brighter2Morrows Counseling, Brink Ink, Buckwheats, Carol Blount, Independent 31 Gifts Consultant, Complete Wireless, Dairy Supreme, Eberle’s Physical Therapy, Edinboro Lanes & Lookout Lounge, Edinboro Outdoors, Edinboro University Office of Admissions, Edinboro University School of Nursing, Edinboro YMCA, Empty Keg, Frank Chocolates of Edinboro, John Wildwoods, Lakeside Bagel & Deli, Meeker’s Pizza, Parker’s Gallery, Psychological Services of Edinboro, R & S Sports, Rebich Investments, Resident’s of Saint Francis Xavier Apartments, Rick Walker Tree Farm, Salon B, Weiss Earley Landscaping.
The Caring Club has about 20 members who have lost family members, and according to Hertel, they are already planning next year’s event.
The Highmark Caring Place is a Center for Grieving Children, Adolescents and Their Families that offers a safe place for grieving children and families to come together. The Caring Place offers these services at no charge to grieving families from throughout the community.
General McLane High School and Parker Middle School began offering grief support group meetings in September of 2014 as part of a regional program sponsored by the Highmark Caring Place, which has offered grief support for children at its Erie facility since opening in 2001. Students and counselors meet every Wednesday for about an hour.
To learn more about General McLane School District, visit generalmclane.org.
