Published: May 20, 2008 11:49 pm            

Western students raise money for Adrienne

School raises more than $4,000 to help pay medical bills.

RUSSIAVILLE — Western High School students raised more than $4,000 Tuesday to help a fellow student with medical bills.

Tuesday morning, as music by Taylor Swift blared over the speakers, students played basketball, ping pong, volleyball and Wii video games in the school gym, as their reward for raising at least $25 each for Adrienne Larrison.

Larrison, 18, is undergoing physical rehabilitation at St. Joseph Hospital in Kokomo, recovering from a diabetic coma.

March 1, when Adrienne’s mother, Susan Larrison, could not wake her daughter, Adrienne was taken by ambulance to St. Joseph Hospital, then transferred by Lifeline helicopter to St. Vincent Hospital. After two weeks in Indianapolis, she went to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Hospital in Lafayette.

She was transferred to St. Joseph Hospital on May 14, and she hopes to be home within two weeks.

The family has no health insurance, and Adrienne Larrison’s hospital bills are now more than $400,000.

She had hoped to attend Tuesday’s event, but was unable to leave the hospital.

Brenda Pullen, who sponsors the school’s Family, Career, Community Leaders of America chapter, said several clubs and student groups have previously raised money, but they wanted to do something bigger.

Sophomore Maggie Gaylor raised $365, the largest amount raised by one student. Gaylor has taken on Adrienne Larrison’s duties as FCCLA president while Adrienne is absent.

Gaylor said she asked all her family members to give money, and her mother solicited donations while playing golf at the Kokomo Country Club. Her church also gave money.

Gaylor said she was touched by the student participation in the fundraiser for her friend.

“It makes me want to cry, seeing everyone out here.”

Sophomores Daniel Henning and Tory Johnston, who spent the activity time battling it out on a Wii baseball game, said they were glad to help a fellow Western student.

“She’s a student, and when a person needs help, you help them,” Henning said.

Johnston said the fund raising was not hard, and most people he asked were willing to give. He said he knows Adrienne, and “if it was us, she’d help us out.”

Brandy Deardorff, a senior and one of Adrienne’s friends, was surprised so many people participated.

“It’s just awesome to see the whole school come together. I never thought the school would come together so quickly and want to help.”

And it’s not just the school helping. Pullen said a woman living in West Virginia, whose children attended Western School Corp., called and said she would send money.

A retired Western teacher also called her and offered to donate $1,000 if some students could help her with a few chores.

Pullen is setting up a bank account for donations, so people can give even after school ends for the semester.

The event was originally scheduled as a walk-a-thon on the Western High School track, but became an indoor activity day instead because of a threat of rain.

Pullen said students could come during a study hall if they had raised the required $25. Some classes also set a class goal, and the whole class would come to the gym if their class met their goal.

“It’s been an active place today,” she said.

Pullen added that teachers E.J. Tolle and Carol Greenburg helped the FCCLA chapter organize the fundraiser.

The group previously raised $1,100 for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, and their goal was to double that amount for Adrienne.

“We more than tripled that amount,” by Tuesday morning, Pullen said. “I’m just thrilled.”

        

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