Curbside Fundraising: Students hope to make one child’s wish come true

The clash of coins vigorously shaking in plastic milk jugs echoed through the downtown streets of Glenrock in the late afternoon hours Feb. 1.
Students dressed in vibrant high-vis safety vests set up shop along the intersection of Birch and 4th Street while others huddled around Glenrock Super Foods to raise funds for Make-A-Wish Wyoming.
Make-A-Wish does just as the name implies. It grants wishes to children to come true, and this year Glenrock has its very own Wish Kid, bringing Student Senate and its advisor Chase Anfinson to do a little extra to meet the $7,000 goal needed to make a youngster’s wish come true.
The Wyoming Association of Student Councils, which the Student Senate is a part of, is set up with Make-A-Wish being its charity of choice.
Despite the cold February weather, 12 students came out for approximately 90 minutes to see just how much they could raise with the help of the community.
“It was awesome,” Anfinson said. “We raised a little over a thousand dollars. We had a couple bigger donors, but a ton of people turned out.”
As the evening progressed, more and more vehicles started lining up at the various groups of students to hand out $1, $2 or more.
Community member June Lythgoe noticed the students standing out in the cold, but had no cash on hand to give out. She didn’t let that stop her, as she headed to the bank to pull out $20 in order to give each group $5.
“When kids are out here raising money I can’t turn them down,” Lythgoe said. “I figured it was $20 well spent.”
As for the students, they kept spirits high knowing what they were doing was for a good cause.
“I think it’s for a good cause,” GHS senior Brysen Collier said. “It may be cold, but at the end of the day seeing that child smile and wish being granted. . . it’s all worth it.”
As students collected throughout the evening, even the Natrona County High School Student Senate made the trip to town to make a donation, Anfinson noted.
Glenrock students initially hit the streets in Casper during their state convention to start the fundraising. After two charity events, they have collected approximately $1,500.
“The goal this year is to raise $7,000 to grant a wish,” Anfinson said.
From here, the student senate will headline the Feb. 25 Monday Madness assembly at GHS and put the remainder of fundraising efforts onto the entire student body in hopes of reaching the goal.
Anfinson says the charity event teaches students that no matter what, action leads to results.
“Small things make a difference,” Anfinson said. “A lot of the donations the other night were two bucks. It is a testament to how great the people in Glenrock are.”