Grace Hodge, 6, and 15 other children and young adults in Rowan County suffer from cystic fibrosis.
Cystic fibrosis is a fatal disease that affects the lungs and digestive system. Although there is no cure, great strides are being made in research.
The National Honor Societies at all six of the Rowan-Salisbury high schools will raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
The schools are competing to see who can sell the most cystic fibrosis pin-ups. The pin-ups cost $1 each and will be displayed throughout the school. The pin-ups are strips of neon paper that link together and say “We Are One Link Closer to a Cure!”
Team Saving Grace was formed three years ago, after Grace was diagnosed. Her mother, Laura Hodge, organized the team that started out with a handful of family and friends who raised $1,500 the first year. Since then, the team has grown; last year it raised more than $23,000. The team is trying to match its goal this year.
This is the second annual Cystic Fibrosis/National Honor Society pin-up challenge. Last year, East, North, Salisbury and West participated and raised $6,000. This year, South and Carson have joined the challenge. Pin-up sales started Feb. 23 and will run for six weeks.
Susan Linza, challenge organizer, said the competition is based on the number of pin-ups each student sells rather than the number sold by the overall group, since the number of National Honor Society students varies from 40 members to 140 members.
The National Honor Society students who sell the most pin-ups will be honored at a luncheon at the end of the fundraiser.
For more information or to make a contribution, call Susan Linza at 704-636-2530.