Indian River students organize benefit

By Jonathan Starkey
Staff Reporter

On Monday, music will resonate through the Indian River High School Auditorium and students will walk a runway, modeling clothes donated by area businesses. A few Indian River students organized the half-fashion-show, half-concert fundraising event to benefit the Delaware Foundation Reaching Citizens with Cognitive Disabilities, the organization which sponsors the annual Blue-Gold All-Star football game.

The event is a first for the school, which hasn’t in the past participated in the Blue-Gold festivities, according to Kayla Warrington, an Indian River senior and one of its Blue-Gold ambassadors.

“Some of the ambassadors from up north said they did fashion shows and had success with it,” Warrington said. “We thought we would give it a try. This was pretty much the first thing we thought of.”

The benefit starts at 7:30 p.m. on Monday in the Indian River High School auditorium. Tickets cost $5 at the door and come with five door-prize tickets. Door prizes such as handbags, backpacks, clothes and blankets will be awarded following the concert and fashion show.

Students will model some of the clothing to be awarded during the fashion show, which will take place while Over Time, a band comprising of the school’s band director, two current students and one 2005 graduate, break between sets.

The school’s two ambassadors, Warrington and senior Kathryn Riley, as well as Bryan Lynch, Julie Butters and Jennah Truitt, organized Monday’s event.

“We’re hoping that a lot of people will come once we spread the word,” Riley said. “But the school has never done anything like this before. I don’t really know what to expect,” she added.

Lynch is the sole Indian River football player competing in the June 24 Blue-Gold all-star game in Newark. Through the DFRC, he and the school’s two ambassadors partner up with a “buddy” suffering from a cognitive disability such as Down syndrome and accompany them to monthly Blue-Gold events – such as dances and picnics – leading up to the June event.

“It’s a lot of fun. It’s really fun for our buddies,” Riley said. “It’s really good to see them interact with people because they don’t have many friends outside their family.

“I just hope people from the community come out and support us so we make money for the organization. It’s a really good cause,” Riley said.

Formerly known as the Delaware Foundation for Retarded Children, since 1956, the DFRC has raised millions of dollars, according to its Web site at www.blue-gold.org, for Delaware children with cognitive disabilities.

Jim Williams and Bob Carpenter – and parents of disabled children – founded the organization and the football game that year. Football players, cheerleaders and school ambassadors have partnered up with a cognitively disabled child and accompanied them to the organizations event since.

Besides the football game, the DFRC holds a “holidazzle” dance, a golf tournament and a 5K/1 mile walk to support the Delaware children. Warrington said it has been difficult trying to juggle academic, athletic and Blue-Gold ambassadorial responsibilities but it has been a rewarding experience.

“It’s been tough but I enjoy it,” Warrington said. “It’s a lot of fun and it makes you feel good.”