BELPRE - Belpre Elementary School students, staff and teachers held a week-long quarter war and other change to support a local family with a young child battling cancer.
The Super Bowl-themed game raised about $444 for the family of Gabe Daugherty, 3, who is in remission of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
"The school has been a great help to us," said Jacquie Daugherty, mother of Gabe Daugherty. "I've been surprised with everything they have done for us. I am very proud that my son can go to a school that makes us a part of their family and has become a part of ours."
Article Photos
Photo by Jolene Craig
Gabe Daugherty, 3, is held by his mother Jacquie Daugherty in front of the quarter war game at Belpre Elementary School.
The school began to work on fundraisers for the Gabe Daugherty Fund at Peoples Bank near the beginning of the school year when kindergarten teacher Anita Winter first learned of the toddler's illness after having his older brother Korbin Daugherty in her class.
"It's not very often that you have a child this young that is this sick that you can help," Winter said. "When I met his family this fall I knew we could help."
Karen Waller, guidance councilor at the school, said the quarter war, which allowed the students, staff and teachers to support the Pittsburgh Steelers and Greenbay Packers at Sunday's Super Bowl while donating to the Gabe Daugherty Fund, is one of several events the school has held to help the family.
"Quarters don't seem like a lot, but they really add up," Waller said. "It has been a fun game for the kids. We try to make all of these fundraisers fun for the kids."
Waller said the fundraisers for Gabe Daugherty began with a lemonade sale by Winter's class . It raised $300 and the events continue to grow.
"When Adam came up with the quarter war, I thought it would be great to capitalize on the Super Bowl," Waller said.
Greene said the rivalry between the Steelers and Packers fans was perfect for this week's fundraiser.
"The 'Vote for Your Team' idea was fueled by the rivalry between (Bernie) Boice, the principal, being a die-hard Steelers fan and (myself) being a die-hard Steelers hater," Greene said. "Each morning upon entering the school, the students dropped quarters into the bucket of the team they wanted to win the game."
The Steelers won the quarter war with slightly more than $235 and the Packers at slightly less than $209.
The quarter war is not the end of the school's efforts to help the Daugherty family with a Fun Nite for Gabe scheduled at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Adventure Station in Parkersburg with 50 percent of the amount raised going to the family as well as another benefit night at the Vienna Chick-Fil-A on March 3.
"We understand that just because Gabe's leukemia is in remission the bills don't stop," Waller said. "We want the Daugherty family to know that we are here with them through everything."
