Published by the Tallahassee Democrat on September 30, 2009
By Iricka Berlinger
By Iricka Berlinger
Last year it was camping out in a tree house for a week, the year before was bull riding and the year before that was skydiving.
Principal Rocky Hanna and Leon High school's gimmicks to raise money for cancer research have been both entertaining and profitable, as the school has raised more than $30,000 in the three years for the American Cancer Society and the Tallahassee Memorial Foundation; and this year is no less amusing.
Passersby can see Hanna and Athletic Director and Dean of Students Mark Feely, who is battling his own fight with cancer, atop a billboard promoting their cause at Tennessee Street and Franklin Boulevard, across from the school, to raise money and awareness for the cause all this week from 7:15 a.m. to 10 a.m. and again at 4:30 p.m. until 6 p.m.
"Have you ever heard of another principal doing something like this," asked Leon High senior Savannah Davy. "You would think it would be surprising to see your principal on top of a billboard, but I was like 'here we go again.' "
The appearances lead up to this weekend's Poker Run on Saturday. Each car participating will drive around town to find five different playing cards. At the end, the car with the best poker hands wins. The school hopes to raise this year's goal of $10,000, the necessary amount needed to completely decorate and furnish two of the newly renovated cancer rooms on the seventh-floor of Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.
As of Tuesday, half of the goal had been met.
The cause is close to Leon's heart as many teachers and students have come face to face with the effects of cancer.
Ironically, Feely, the man who has stood by Hanna with these crazy stunts, was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrow in February.
"We didn't even realize he was sick when we were doing all these stunts," Hanna said about raising money the past years. "It's true that it touches everybody."
Feely described the feeling of being up on the billboard is similar to the sickness he feels with his cancer treatments.
"When we first jumped out of the plane a few years ago, I told the cancer patients we met that the fear I felt was nothing like their cancer, because my fear was short," he said. "Now I know what it is like."
Contact Reporter Iricka Berlinger at 599-2157 or [email protected].
IF YOU GO
What: Leon High's Poker Run.
When: Saturday Oct.3 at 10 a.m., lasting approximately two hours.
Where: Leon High School, 550 E. Tennessee St.
How much: Entry is a minimum of $100 per car.
More info: Contact the school at 488-1971.
Principal Rocky Hanna and Leon High school's gimmicks to raise money for cancer research have been both entertaining and profitable, as the school has raised more than $30,000 in the three years for the American Cancer Society and the Tallahassee Memorial Foundation; and this year is no less amusing.
Passersby can see Hanna and Athletic Director and Dean of Students Mark Feely, who is battling his own fight with cancer, atop a billboard promoting their cause at Tennessee Street and Franklin Boulevard, across from the school, to raise money and awareness for the cause all this week from 7:15 a.m. to 10 a.m. and again at 4:30 p.m. until 6 p.m.
"Have you ever heard of another principal doing something like this," asked Leon High senior Savannah Davy. "You would think it would be surprising to see your principal on top of a billboard, but I was like 'here we go again.' "
The appearances lead up to this weekend's Poker Run on Saturday. Each car participating will drive around town to find five different playing cards. At the end, the car with the best poker hands wins. The school hopes to raise this year's goal of $10,000, the necessary amount needed to completely decorate and furnish two of the newly renovated cancer rooms on the seventh-floor of Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.
As of Tuesday, half of the goal had been met.
The cause is close to Leon's heart as many teachers and students have come face to face with the effects of cancer.
Ironically, Feely, the man who has stood by Hanna with these crazy stunts, was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrow in February.
"We didn't even realize he was sick when we were doing all these stunts," Hanna said about raising money the past years. "It's true that it touches everybody."
Feely described the feeling of being up on the billboard is similar to the sickness he feels with his cancer treatments.
"When we first jumped out of the plane a few years ago, I told the cancer patients we met that the fear I felt was nothing like their cancer, because my fear was short," he said. "Now I know what it is like."
Contact Reporter Iricka Berlinger at 599-2157 or [email protected].
IF YOU GO
What: Leon High's Poker Run.
When: Saturday Oct.3 at 10 a.m., lasting approximately two hours.
Where: Leon High School, 550 E. Tennessee St.
How much: Entry is a minimum of $100 per car.
More info: Contact the school at 488-1971.