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Published: 2/22/2012

Pasta for compassion back 5th year

Fund-raiser aids local families

BY JANET ROMAKER
BLADE STAFF WRITER

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At the heart of the Anthony Wayne Spirit of Giving: pasta and compassion.

With hundreds of helpings of spaghetti, the nonprofit organization raises thousands of dollars annually to assist families coping with medical catastrophe.

But this organization's outreach effort is supported by more than dollars.

Through a neighborly network of kindness -- residents, churches, businesses -- the group provides volunteers to help sponsored families with day-to-day activities such as baby-sitting, housework, lawn mowing, and errands.

Anthony Wayne Spirit of Giving's major fund-raising event, its fifth annual Spaghetti Fest, is scheduled from 4:30 to 8 p.m. Friday in the Anthony Wayne High School cafeteria, featuring heaping bowls of spaghetti plus salad, topped off with homemade desserts made in kitchens across the district, including the communities of Whitehouse, Waterville, Neapolis, and Monclova.

Tricia Sharp, Anthony Wayne Spirit of Giving president, said the organization formed in 2008 after AW teacher Jason Apgar was out of school for a time because of family medical issues: a heart defect was diagnosed in his son in 2007. In addition, his daughter survived cancer at a young age.

"Six of us teachers did a fund-raiser. We put it together in three weeks and we raised $16,000 for the Apgars. I think I was on Cloud 9 for three weeks afterwards. There is nothing like a high that comes from helping others," said Mrs. Sharp, a special education teacher in the district.

The following year, "Jason said he wanted to pay it forward and asked about doing something each year to bring in donations to help others," recalled Mrs. Sharp, who said the organization has raised about $10,000 a year since then.

Between 400 and 500 people are expected to attend the Spaghetti Fest. Assisting will be many volunteers, including students.

"It shows how kids can make a difference," Mrs. Sharp said. "It makes me proud."

Students help run the drive-through service at the event. Carry-out meals will be available as well. Tickets, $5 each, can be purchased at the door.

Seniors Tori Jennings and Hunter Lonseth, who will assist with a variety of tasks, said they want to help others and firmly believe the philosophy printed on the back of the Spirit of Giving T-shirts, "We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give." Sir Winston Churchill is credited with those words.

Students created a bulletin board to draw attention to the Spaghetti Fest and the outreach efforts of the Anthony Wayne Spirit of Giving.

Photographs of sponsored families circle the bulletin board. It also has a photo of Anthony Wayne junior Quinn Jernas, who last year donated $760 to the Spirit of Giving; instead of Christmas and birthday gifts, she asked for donations she then gave to the organization.

Mr. Lonseth said it's nice that the donated funds all stay in the community to help those who live in the Anthony Wayne district.

Other activities Friday at the school include a business expo, silent auction, face painting, and the boys basketball game against Napoleon.

Families interested in receiving assistance from the Anthony Wayne Spirit of Giving can submit applications (often, friends or others submit applications on the families' behalf).

Families selected to receive assistance this year are the Comstocks and the Tenneys of Monclova Township and the Michaelises of Whitehouse.

Caysen Tenney, son of Crystal and Lou Tenney, spent most of his first year of life in medical facilities, but in late January was well enough to go home to be with his family, including three older brothers, in Monclova Township.

Caysen's esophagus did not properly develop and food did not reach his stomach, but surgeons have fixed that. However, the family has learned that Caysen has a hole in the right side of his heart and significant hearing loss.

In the Comstock family, Natalie had a massive stroke two years ago, and the family, including her husband, Mike, and children Evan and Isabella has been struggling to do daily tasks, according to Mrs. Sharp.

For the Michaelis family, the outpouring of help from the Anthony Wayne Spirit of Giving has "been incredible," said Brian Michaelis, noting that he and his wife, Julie, "are private people."

"We kept to ourselves. We helped other people, but we never thought we would be the ones to get such a gift. We are so thankful for people who put themselves out there and help others."

It was in September, 2010, when their son Kaden came down with coldlike symptoms initially diagnosed as a virus.

By the end of that month, doctors told the family he had neuroblastoma, a nerve-tissue cancer, that had progressed to stage IV, the most serious and high-risk stage.

Since then, Kaden has fought through several rounds of chemotherapy, surgery, and two stem-cell transplants.

Kaden has two older sisters, Ellie and Madison.

The family recently learned that Kaden, now 4, no longer has any evidence of the disease, but "it is hard to celebrate, not knowing if the beast is going to come back and relapse him," Mr. Michaelis said.

"It has been a long year and a half fighting this monster. We are really happy with no evidence of the disease, but it is scary to not know what tomorrow brings."

In the Anthony Wayne community, tomorrow brings a spirit of giving, a spirit of caring.

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