Email to a Friend

Printer Friendly Version

Also on the Web Rhody 5K Road Race Tomorrow Fund

Many of the children here at Horton Elementary School had never heard of the Tomorrow Fund until they learned about a 19-year-old cancer patient named Max Dwares. This past February, Max was scheduled to speak to the students here about his fight with leukemia.. All in an effort to kick off the school's Tomorrow Fund fundraiser "Bring Change For Change". Two weeks before he was scheduled to speak, Max died. But that didn't stop the kids from bringing in their hard earned earnings.

Principal Mary Ann Casale says, "The change just came pouring in. Children would bring in jars that they had at home. Jars they had been saving for months."

4th grader Joshua Adler says, "Every Friday we get ice cream, it's 50 cents, so some people got their ice cream money and put it in the jar."

5th grader Cassie Lima says, "When I got change back from my lunch money I put it in the Tomorrow Fund."

Max worked very hard to create public awareness for his disease and the Tomorrow Fund, an organization that, in some ways, has become a life line for families devastated by cancer.

Tomorrow Fund Director Barbara Ducharme says, "We like to think that we form a safety net for children and their families once a child is diagnosed with cancer."

In all, the kids at Horton Elementary raised $1,200 for the Tomorrow Fund, more than just pocket money.

Mary Ann says, "When we announced it, they just went crazy and they were so proud of themselves."

5th grader Chris Luther says, "It made me feel happy and glad that I was helping other people rather than myself."..  helping other people like Max.

Barbara remembers Max, "He was very bright, he was very caring.  Max, in a way, has left his own legacy."

One of the Tomorrow Fund's biggest fundraisers is the Rhody 5K Road Race at Lincoln Park which is being held Sunday, June 13.  To find out more Click Here.