Groton-Dunstable Students Are St. Jude Heroes

GDRHS students (Left to Right) Paige Bailey, Cassie Beigel, Meghan Hanagan, Anna Bushnell, Jacqueline Richardson

Groton-Dunstable Students Are St. Jude Heroes

Sixteen students from Groton-Dunstable Regional School District are on a mission, to help kids feel like kids and not patients. Saturday, March 19th, they participated in the 17th annual Fitness for a Cure gala event for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, raising a total of $435,000!  The theme of this year’s event was super heroes.

The St. Jude Performance Team is comprised of over 100 students from kindergarten through college age, from all over the Merrimack Valley region. The team was created seventeen years ago by Sherri Sarrouf of SLS Fitness, who combined her love for fitness and family to raise over $3.6 million dollars to date for St. Jude. The team has volunteered countless hours between Sunday rehearsals and fundraising.  The finale two-part day and evening gala event features the team performing a show composed of fitness and dancing to upbeat music, utilizing their health to give back to the sick and less fortunate.

This past summer, high school students Meghan Hanagan, Paige Bailey and Jacqueline Richardson traveled to Memphis, Tennessee to volunteer their time at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Senior, Meghan Hanagan shares her experience of the trip, “I didn't expect the impact these kids would have on me when I walked through the doors. One girl I was working on crafts with was eight years old, and diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. You would've never suspected she was fighting for her life, with her positive attitude, and joy of life. It's hard to worry about the little things in life, when I think back to this young girl’s positive attitude even with her uncertain future.”

Principal Michael Mastrullo shared his sentiments.  “The students of GD have demonstrated time and time again a commitment to helping others.  It is so impressive to see random acts of kindness everyday.  In my five years as principal I cannot think of a better cause than the one Meghan, Paige, and Jacqueline have tirelessly dedicated their time and energy too. They are great role models for all.”

The Middle School students will continue our community's involvement in this extraordinary event.  Many of these kids have been on the team since elementary school.  Katherine Shea and Caroline Keegan ran a lemonade and friendship bracelet stand on a hot summer day-raising over $50.00 for St. Jude in just a few hours.

The mission of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Fitness for a Cure and these kids from Groton-Dunstable help support founder of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Danny Thomas’ dream of “Finding Cures, Saving Children.”  

GDRMS students (Left to Right) Back row-Griffen Posner, Ethan Hillenburg, Ryan Bushnell, Caroline Keegan, Katherine Shea, Ruby Bailey, Sarah Bushnell, Penny Bailey, Front row-Cole Beigel, Alexander Hillenburg, Abigail Schuster