Hickory Creek Students, Staff Raise $4,300 For Cystic Fibrosis

FRANKFORT, IL – Sixth through eighth grade students at Hickory Creek Middle School participated in the school's annual GREAT STRIDES: Taking Steps to Cure Cystic Fibrosis (CF) walk at the end of May. This fundraiser and walk is the last project of the school's charitable giving efforts for the year. It was coordinated by Hickory Creek music teacher David Wonder with help from the school's encore and physical education teams. This walk is in partnership with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The students, teachers, and staff at Hickory Creek raised $4,386 this year for the CF Foundation.

According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, cystic fibrosis is a life-threatening genetic disease in which a defective gene causes a thick, buildup of mucus in the lungs, pancreas and other organs causing persistent lung infections and progressively limiting the ability to breathe. The research has produced breakthrough treatments that have added years to the lives of people with cystic fibrosis. While there has been significant progress in treating this disease, there is still no cure and too many lives are cut far too short. The CF Foundation has made it their mission to find a lifelong cure for all people living with this devastating disease.

Throughout the month of May, the sixth, seventh, and eighth graders learned more about cystic fibrosis., created posters, and raised awareness in their community by talking to family and friends. During last two weeks of May each grade level held their own cystic fibrosis walk around the track and baseball diamond. This year, the students walked in honor of eleven year old Dean Burns who is living with Cystic Fibrosis and will be attending Hickory Creek next year.

The school is working with the Burns family to help raise money for the CF Foundation in honor of Dean Burns, a student in District 157-C who is living with Cystic Fibrosis. Although Dean does not receive any money directly, Hickory Creek once again joined his fundraising team. The money raised supports the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation through the team of Dean Burns and his family. Dean's team is "Eat. Pray. Dean." and their website can be found at www.eatpraydean.com.

Over the past fifteen years, HCMS has raised over $50,000 dollars for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Frankfort 157-C is proud to provide our students with opportunities to make a tangible difference in the lives of others.