Great Support
For SRHS Fencer

Two months ago when our daughter Shona qualified to compete in the Junior Olympics for fencing, we were of course very proud. Yet our pride was bittersweet since we realized that the cost of sending her to Denver was beyond our means. Still, I found myself telling everyone that Shona qualified for the JO's.

Pretty much the universal response: "What a great opportunity, she should go!" Great, but how?

So, would we not be able to forgive ourselves? Would Shona spend years in therapy with a mountain of unrealized dreams? I asked the advice of Jeff Thomas (Mr T), the PE teacher at South Royalton High School. He didn't miss a beat. "No problem, we'll fundraise!" That evening at band practice Robin Russell responded with the same unwavering enthusiasm, "We'll do a dance for Shona!" So it began.

It has been an incredible journey filled with warmth and support. All over the walls of South Royalton School there were posters, "Send Shona to the Junior Olympics!" The Honor Society, under the direction of Mr T, sold raffle tickets and area businesses and community members donated raffle prizes. Others offered to make refreshments to sell at the dance.

RB's Deli had a jar for donations and people Shona hardly knew came up to her in the hallways of school to tell her they had put money in that jar. Proceeds from carrot sales (from our farm) at the South Royalton Market are being given to the cause. A handmade mug was auctioned off at the Freight House jam session. It has just been a wonderful grassroots effort!

Oh, and then there were the emails from far and wide and folks sending in 10 or 20 dollars because they fenced themselves and wanted to support other young fencers, or because someone had given them money while Christmas caroling and they thought it should go to this Vermont kid they didn't even know just because they used to dance at David Millstone's dances and fenced a little in high school…

Lots of little stories like that.

But the best thing so far was the dance. Friday the 26th was the coldest night of the season and I worried that turn out would be affected. Well, I guess I needn't have worried for we started to play the first set to a large circle of dancers.

As we played, more and more came through those doors. I got that funny feeling in my throat. I thought I might start crying. There were people from the school, from the community, from far away, people we know from farming, from fencing, from dancing, and just from being in a great community. There were little kids, teens, law students, young folk, not so young folk, all out there dancing and having a good time. It was just wonderful!

The fundraising has been very successful. Our heartfelt thanks to the whole community. We will not only be sending Shona out to Dever to fence in the Junior Olympics, we will be able to bring her back too! While we won't be able to be there physically cheering her on, she surely knows that there is a crowd of supporters rooting for her from here!

Suzanne Long and Tim Sanford

Luna Bleu Farm

South Royalton