Picture this; you have been invited to a charity organization. You’re all dressed up, a check in one hand, and your date’s hand in the other. Your pull up to the elegant parking lot of an enchanted banquet hall. Just as you register your coats and your name, you enter through a slightly odd themed event with a white picket fence and cornstalks. You go through this entry and suddenly brought to a world full of color and wonder. You suddenly don’t think you’re in the banquet hall anymore. What do you do?
Parents of Cassie Hines, Christopher and Karen Hines started the organization, Cassie Hines’ Shoe Cancer Foundation when their daughter Cassie was diagnosed with a rare kidney cancer when she was in her junior year at Eisenhower high school. After four years of countless surgeries and therapies to try and bring her back to health, she lost the battle. Passing away in March 2012, the Hines family came to the idea to start an awareness group that helps young adults diagnosed with cancer between the ages of sixteen through thirty.
Monday, Dec. 1st, teacher Joel Kaczmarczyk, receiving an e-mail from Jacqueline Zawierucha, aunt to Cassie Hines, asking for any props or sets for donation for the second annual “Dance in These Shoes”-which the theme is also “The Wizard of Oz” -on Saturday, Mar. 7th, at the ConCorde Inn in Clinton Township. According to Kaczmarczyk, he couldn’t get any sets they weren’t destroyed or damaged after the performance, so instead he sent six actors- the cowardly lion, the tin-man, the scarecrow, Dorothy, Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West.
“I didn’t know what scenery to give them.’’ Kaczmarczyk said. “ So I came up with the idea of bringing characters to them.”
After the event, Kaczmarczyk felt like he should donate more, because it was the right thing to do. Using the proceeds from the talent show and donating it the Cassie Hines project. From the ticket sales and the drama department had t-shirts made, they raised $500 to the Cassie Hines project.
“I think this is great. Principal Thomas Lietz said. I’m glad to find more and more students inspired to help out. this definitely benefits a good helping experience.”
The fund raiser was a success. With the dance being held at Concord Inn, it opened their banquet to a big magical world. The fund raiser had a success in donations, including free suit rentals from Wesner tuxedo. The foundation received many other donations, Including that five hundred dollar check from Kaczmarczyk on behalf of the theatre department.
“ This is truly awesome.” Chris Hines said. “The important part of throwing a good party is details and to Amaze the guests. This is another great way to show how great of an experience this whole thing is.”
And detailed it was With the help from Eisenhower high school, the school Cassie Hines attended, their decorations were detailed from the great Emerald city to the last poppy on each dinner table. The cast of characters were amazed by all the decorations and were happy to be a part of it.
“The decorations were fantastic.” junior Anna Hoffman said, “It brought back recent memories of performing the show we did. It was an honor to be apart of such an amazing program.”
Kaczmarczyk has no plans so far for the foundation, but is exciting for this new relationship. He also wouldn’t mind joining in a possible partnership with them in the future. With the help from the theatre department, they have to potential to build a great relationship in the future to help more and more kids and young adults with cancer.