WHITING, Wis. (WSAU) — A group of students organized a fundraiser over the weekend to help the Sheriff’s Department K9 unit.
Several students at Ben Franklin Junior High in Stevens Point are in a World Business class taught by Mr. Art Greco. The students decided they wanted to organize the event, which meant reaching out to area businesses for donations, including the food they would sell at Whiting Park Saturday. Greco says early in the semester, they practiced some of the skills normally learned after high school, such as cold-calling potential partners and giving their marketing presentations. “Knowledge about yourself gives you the power to build confidence. Confidence suppresses fear and anxiety, and that. The sooner we get these kids doing this, you’re going to see a lot more achievement, and personal achievement to begin with, and that’s exactly the premise behind this.”
The Saturday K9 fundraiser was put together rather quickly, and Greco says the kids worked hard and the community got behind them. “Everything’s been a little chaotic. I think we had a nine-day window, maybe, but I tell you what, they definitely… a fire was lit and they got moving, and today has been an incredible turnout.”
The Portage County Sheriff’s Department was planning to raise money for an additional K9 officer, but last week, in the middle of the Ben Franklin student project, Sheriff Mike Lukas says they learned they would lose their senior K9 officer Baco yet this year due to untreatable cancer. “They had this all planned well before our K9 Baco became ill, but they put a lot of work and got a lot of donations. They got a lot of people involved.”
The students sold food donated by several area businesses, and held several games and contests including a catch-and-release fishing tournament, bean bag toss, face painting, and paddle wheel.
Sheriff Lukas says they’ve benefited from several fundraisers, but he’s never seen an effort like this one by the Ben Franklin students. “This is going to help us get another dog, medical costs for a dog, it’s unbelievable the amount of work that they’ve put in to benefiting the Portage County Sheriff’s office.”
The Whiting Park event is over, but the overall fundraiser is still going on until May 20th. As of about 2:00 p.m. Saturday, the students had raised just over $2,800 dollars. Greco says the students surpassed their expectations. “We hit our goal. Now, they want the next goal, and that’s $5,000 dollars and for me to shave my head, and they have the opportunity to do that, but they’re going to be able to run and take checks until May 20th.”
Greco believes his hair and beard will be going away, and that’s okay with him. If the World of Business kids reach their $5,000 dollar goal, there will be a ceremony at the school to both celebrate and give their teacher a whole new look.
Donations can be sent prior to May 20th to Ben Franklin Jr. High School at 2000 Polk St. Donors should put “World of Business” or “WOB” in the check’s memo line.