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During
a pep rally Friday at Greenville High School, members of the student
council presented
Corynna Strawser a check for 1,200 as a Make-A-Wish fundraiser.
Strawser has been diagnosed
with a rare terminal disease. The money will go to help pay for medical
bills to aid the family. Strawser will
soon be making a trrip to Atlanta to meet with a group of specialists.
CNO Photos by George Starks
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Giving back to one of their own
Emotion filled
pep rally brings on big surprise
By George Starks
GREENVILLE - As a 15 year old Corynna Strawser is fighting a battle.
The battle for her life.
It wasn’t long ago; Strawser was a typical normal Greenville High
School student.
Just over a year ago, Strawser was diagnosed with Gastro Intestinal
Issues; Hollow Visceral Myopathy or Chronic Pseudo Obstruction.
According to advisor, Carol Paul, it is believed that Strawser also
suffers from a form of Mitochondrial Disease, which is incurable and
terminal.
The money raised was part of the schools Make-A-Wish service project,
called Stars for Corynna. Once Strawser entered the gymnasium, she had
no clue what was going to happen but it didn’t take long for her to
realize it was about her.
At that point, the tears flowed and emotions were running high.
Strawser, who had aspirations to becoming a professional dancer after
graduation, watched 10 of her classmates present her with her last
dance and involved her in the dance itself.
After the dance was completed, members of the student council presented
Strawser with a check for 1,200 dollars to help the family with medical
expenses with 200 dollars coming from a private donation.
“This came as a total surprise to me. I had no clue this was
going to happen,” said an emotional Strawser. “Someone told me there
was going to be a surprise but wouldn’t tell me what it was. This was
so amazing because there are so many people are supporting me and
helping me to fight my disease.”
It wasn’t so much the money that had Strawser’s emotions stirred up but
the dance that she was involved in.
“This was going to be my career,” said Strawser as tears flowed down
her face. “I love to dance and I was a dancer and it means so much to
me that members of my old dance team were out there supporting me.”
The money will be used to help with medical bills as well as expenses
for a trip to Atlanta to see a specialist.
“Mitochondrial Disease is life threatening and often fatal,” Strawser
pointed out. “They have no cure for this but they are trying to figure
out a way to slow down the progress of it. The doctor’s last name is
Kendall and is one of the best. “
Paul and English teacher Dawn Luthman were huge in getting the
permission to do this project and Luthman said she was very proud of
the students. Erika Jeffers brought in a CD of a campus routine that
was a favorite routine of Carynna’s. Sophomores in my class committed
themselves to learning this dance. I am very proud of these kids and
the student body that got this going. We have a great bunch of kids
here. As a teacher, this is very inspiring and it just reminds me how
wonderful my students are. I never had Corynna in class but she is such
an inspiration to all of us and we wanted to give back to her.”
Watching the kids giving back to one of their own was heart wrenching.
“I was very proud,” Paul added. “This really got hold of me for some
reason. She is being so strong and to watch the kids support her, it
was just very emotional for me.”
It was also added that if anyone wanted to contribute to the Strawser
Family in support of Corynna, a fund has been set up at Greenville
Federal bank in Greenville.
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Members
of the Greenville sophomore class present Strawser with their version
of the last dance.
Strawser, now strapped to a wheelchair, wanted to dance professionally
after graduation.
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Members
of the Wave student council were presented a check for $900 as a result
of a drive for Goodwill
during week three before a football game with West Carrollton. Not only
did the Wave win the season long
competition against other schools in the Miami Valley but set a record
in the process. Presenting the
check are Mary Pipenger (Mid USA Credit Union) and Matt Arntz
(Goodwill).
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