Hauser's graduating seniors make donations to local groups

The 2019 graduating class at Hauser High school recently came to a realization -- with their high school careers winding down, they had excess money in the class treasury account. No longer needing funds for projects and other expenses, they began looking for somewhere to donate the money.

Becky Voyles, the senior class sponsor, said that thanks to the leadership of Rebekah Bryan and other past fundraisers, this year's Hauser graduating class had funds in their treasury to share.

"The senior officers, who represented their classmates in designating the gifts, agreed to fund needs of the Hauser music department, the Schwenk Distinguished Character Award Fund, and the Student's Fund of Hope,” Voyles said.

The gift to the Student’s Fund of Hope was $500. The Student’s Fund of Hope is a nonprofit agency that started in July 2018. The fund’s mission is to assist with school-related expenses and emergencies for students in the Flat Rock-Hawcreek school district. Those have ranged from overdue lunch accounts in the school cafeteria, families dealing with medical expenses, and various other small and large needs that have been met. The fund’s impact has been noticed by the senior class.

“The particular discussion regarding (the Student's Fund of Hope), included a desire to help FRHC students and an awareness that the (charity) leaders are positioned to direct money to identified needs," Voyles said. "We hope that the funds donated by this year's graduating class will ease a burden for FRHC students and parents.” said Voyles. 

Whitney Budd, President of the Student’s Fund, was moved to tears by the generosity of the senior class. “These are students giving back to students- something I think is rare nowadays. I felt like, in that moment, nothing that I could say would express the gratitude I felt.”

Budd said it makes her proud to have the Student’s Fund of Hope funded by local donations, by the community that the fund serves. Hope has a spirit of community giving and support that is part of the town’s character, and this gesture is emblematic of that.

“I think this embodies everything we’ve been trying to do with the fund -- alleviating financial burdens and showing them how they can change the world just by giving back to their peers and community," Budd said. "This is quite an incredible class leaving Hauser and I am positive the amount of students we have helped will only deposit more into our small, surprising little town once they are able.”

The donation is not earmarked for a specific purpose at this point, but will no doubt prove useful in meeting needs that are faced by other Flat Rock-Hawcreek students in the near future, Budd said.

“It is so important to us at (the Student's Fund of Hope) to ensure that a child should bear no burden that has been faced to his parents or guardians, but we see it often.” said Budd.