By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
Purple Week at Otsego High School was a rousing success, according to Otsego Public Schools director of communications Holly McCaw.
“One thing that really stands out right now is just how many people got involved in this week this year,” said McCaw, who serves as the organizer for the bi-annual event. “We saw participation from every corner of the district and community.”
Purple Week, which started at OHS in 2010, raises money and awareness for the Van Andel Institute’s battle against cancer and Parkinson’s Disease.
Prior to this year’s event, the district has donated $115,000 to the cause. Preliminary estimates indicate another $20,000 to $25,000 was raised this year.
A group of high school students who comprise the Purple Committee spearheaded the various activities throughout the week—which began Monday, Sept. 26, and culminated with the football game on Friday, Sept. 30—although many more students get involved in different ways.
And that student involvement wasn’t just at the high school. The middle school student council hosted lunchtime games that cost $1 to play and raised $915. The district’s three elementary schools, meanwhile, participated in a fundraiser called Give for Good that involved classes competing against each other to see which one could collect the most money.
The elementary schools raised nearly $3,000.
“We have amazing students,” McCaw said. “I feel like students can see that Purple Week is about something bigger and it’s a part of our culture that our kids want to be a part of. This comes from students at every age.
“One young girl told me her mom has breast cancer at one of the elementary assemblies. Another elementary student brought in $100 of his own money to honor his grandpa. There are stories like this across the district.”
Senior Emily Allen is a member of the Purple Committee and got to see firsthand the impact the week had on students across the district.
“Students love supporting the purple events and I feel like that shows how much cancer affects everyone, no matter the age,” Allen said. “I think it’s important to the students to fight for and support their family and friends who may not be able to. It takes a lot of time and understanding to be part of such an important cause, and I think the students realize just how important it is. Students come together because no one fights alone.”
Fellow senior and Purple Committee member Sophie Maxwell agreed.
“I think that a lot of kids wanted to get involved so that they can show their support to the community,” she said. “The students of Otsego High School are really good at working together when there is a goal.”
As has become tradition, many of the high school’s athletic teams traded in their normal jerseys for purple ones. The names on the back of the jerseys honored someone who has battled for is currently battling cancer or Parkinson’s.
“The athletic events with purple jerseys honoring loved ones impacted by cancer or Parkinson’s are always a highlight of this event,” McCaw said. “It really personalizes the cause and is a display of what this is all about and that’s fighting these diseases and supporting medical research.
“We don’t want to lose more people to these diseases and our fundraising efforts go to medical research where scientists are working to find better treatments and a cure.”
At the football game against Gull Lake, most Otsego fans donned purple shirts in support of the event. Prior to kickoff, spectators and players alike held up purple signs with the names of loved ones who have been affected by cancer or Parkinson’s.
Several OPS staff members who have battled cancer were also recognized before the game. That included secondary success coordinator Mary Grile, who is battling breast cancer and shared her story.
“Cancer, especially, is something almost all of us can relate to as we know someone or know of someone battling the disease,” McCaw said. “And if we don’t at the moment, the unfortunate truth is that we will. When there is a common cause like this, people come together. And seeing so many people rally around this cause shows what an amazing community we have.”
During the week, the high school had various dress-up days for students and staff members engaged in some friendly competition.
“It was amazing to see so many people embracing this event and fighting for this cause,” McCaw said. “Again, I think it comes back to people wanting to be a part of something bigger than themselves and something so important.”
All of the proceeds from the event will go to directly fund the research being done at the VanAndel Institute.
“Purple Community dollars are often seed money for scientists to further provide proof of their findings or theories that they can use to apply for much larger grants, leading to more resources for them,” McCaw said. “So, even though certain research might take millions of dollars, it can start with thousands from fundraisers like ours.
“Otsego Public Schools is well-known at Van Andel Institute. We are one of only a few school districts that host fundraisers at this high level.”
And while the money raised stays in West Michigan through the VanAndel Institute, OHS junior and Purple Committee member Aly Aldrich knows the impact has the potential to be much more far-reaching.
“The community’s donations aren’t limited to helping only fighters in West Michigan,” she said. “The donations we collected this year could help many generations in the future all around the world.”
