building for Ripley schools houses pre-K all the way to high school seniors, which is about 500 students, so FCCLA pushed the whole school to get involved.
BJ and I returned to Ripley with other NEWS MS staff and an MS ambassador to thank the whole school in person for their efforts and to receive their donation a Mrs. Danker and her students started by month later. So how much did Ripley raise? The designing orange t-shirts to sell for $12 prior to goal was to raise $1,000 and they raised… MSAW. The front of the shirt had a simple design $2,000! This local community managed to raise and the phrase “Rock n’ Roll.” The back elaborated twice as much as they anticipated. Their by declaring, “We rock the orange to roll over MS. generous donation allows the Society to fund Team Tilley.” For me, this was the first sign that BJ medical research to find a cure and offer and I were part of something personal and powerful. programs, services, and treatments to those living with MS now. The time had finally come – All students and faculty wearing their orange shirts were to report Ripley is proof that when we come together for a outside at the starting line. We huddled around cause we can accomplish more than we think. the Walk MS banner at the starting line, the gun Imagine if other schools, organizations, or fired, and the walk was on! As the route curved companies followed suit. Think of the change we around we saw big kids and little kids would see in our alike standing with their arms stretched communities. I was out, cheering us on and yelling, “Team overwhelmed by Tilley! Team Tilley!” Mrs. Danker walked Ripley and no with us and we talked about the whole words can express week of activities. She told us that the what I felt that day. cafeteria staff dressed up as the Village This is why my job People and did a routine to the ‘YMCA’ matters. This is during the basketball halftime show. The why I come to penny war challenged the younger work every day- to students and the class with the most help make a pennies won an orange lollipop party. positive difference Miss Suggs’ pre-K class won - they raised for others. $146 in pennies! I want to thank the We thanked Mrs. Danker for her hard students, faculty, work and tried to express how grateful we were and community of Ripley for rallying behind the for people like her taking the initiative to make National MS Society and joining the movement a difference for our cause, but she wouldn’t take to help wipeout MS. You came together to make much credit. She said the students wanted to a difference for Principal Tilley, but in the process do this, and they were the ones to make it you have made a difference in my life, too, and happen. Ripley isn’t just a school; it’s a family. for that, I’m forever grateful. While these kids are in class all day, they are part of one big, happy extended family. Principal For the extended version of Beth’s story, please Tilley isn’t some man. He isn’t just the principal; visit nationalmssociety.org/ok. he’s also their friend and someone that these students truly care about. TOLL FREE NUMBER 1 800 344 4867
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