By Bob Strohhm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
Using a tragedy in her family to provide a light for others, one Wynford student saw the fruits of her labors pay off Wednesday afternoon.
When her grandma, Sue Kalb, had passed on from breast cancer in 2015, Tara Zinser used her loss as the building blocks for her senior project. Utilizing the “Volley for the Cure” fundraiser during the Lady Royals volleyball and basketball seasons, Zinser set out with the goal of raising $2,000 for the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
With the help of her family, teammates, and members of the community, Zinser surpassed that goal raising $4,599.13 and donated the monies raised at a check presentation ceremony at Wynford High School Wednesday. Zinser explained how long she had worked on the project.
“This has been my mission since probably last year. I had this idea to make my senior project in honor of her and to raise money for people going through the same things,” Zinser said. “And losing my grandmother was unexpected, so helping other families going through that was really important to me.”
On hand to receive the check for the Susan G. Komen Foundation was Gretchen Awad. Awad was thrilled with Zinser’s donation.
“To receive a donation from a student means the world to us,” Awad said. “It is so important to be actively engaged in young people. Part of Komen’s mission is a world without breast cancer, and it starts with understanding your body, and understanding your health at a young age. It is important for young people to actively engage with us, because it is difficult to find someone who has not been touched by cancer, and her personal story of her grandmother is important to us, and I can’t even express how excited we are, and how touched and how blessed we are.”
Awad explained what the proceeds for the monies would go towards.
“Seventy-five percent of the money stays local, meaning our 24-county service area. So, through our grant process people apply to receive Komen funds and it can be all sorts of health institutions where there are gaps in coverage for women suffering from breast cancer. The money is then disbursed out. So, it stays here, it stays local, and it touches every single one of our 24-county area. So there is not a service needed or an area that is not touched by Komen funds.”
Coinciding with the “Volley for the Cure” events, Zinser held a bake sale, raffle, t-shirt sale, and donations from area businesses to reach her goal.
“My teams and coaches are like a family to me. Having their support was everything. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without them. Like one of my friend’s moms baked most of the baked goods for the bake sale for the volleyball game. It was overwhelming, just the support she alone gave me.”