Fundraising is an important part of running nonprofit organizations. Cedar Crest High School has one specific fundraiser that is unlike any other.
Cedar Crest High School Student Council takes part in a schoolwide, and even countywide, fundraiser for the American Heart Association. This fundraiser uses the school’s King of Hearts dance to bring the school together raising money to combat heart disease.
The fundraiser starts when 12 boys are elected by the senior class onto the King of Hearts court. These boys then compete to raise money. The court member who raises the most money is then crowned the “King of Hearts.”
The king will be crowned this Friday, Feb. 7, at the dance.
The dance itself is also a way that student council raises money. The members of student council all hand make the decorations and have a very low budget.
With the DJ being the biggest cost, all net proceeds from admissions goes straight to the American Heart Association. Last year, the dance itself generated roughly $1,200 that was donated to the AHA.
“They [the students] are a lot more serious about this,” said Cedar Crest High School Student Council advisor Jane Hepler. “Everybody knows somebody that has some kind of heart issue.”
This is Hepler’s 25th year organizing the dance and the fundraiser. Before the Student Council took over the event, Hepler helped organize it with the Pep Club.
“It’s really awesome to see what the 12 of them and the student council kids can pull off,” said Hepler.
Within the last 10 years the dance became a much bigger deal than it was before. This started as a low-key fundraiser and a small dance but suddenly became a major event at Cedar Crest High School.
“This is another way that Cedar Crest is different than a lot of other schools because this is Falcon Nation,” said Hepler. “Everybody tries to support everybody and I think that’s cool because it doesn’t happen everywhere.”
This year the court consists of seniors Jack Beasley, Chris Byler, Jason Eberhart, John Fitzgibbons, Jonas Funk, Owen Kreider, Brady Miller, Cole Miller, Cade Rambler, Anthony Tornetta, Dylan Tull, and Eric Wawrzyniak.
“It makes me feel good that we as a group can collect money for such a good cause,” said Rambler. “To me, no matter if it’s a dance or an organization, the money is still going to a good place and helping people out.”
Rambler is one of the top fundraisers on the court this year. He has been raising money by asking family members, friends, and local businesses for donations as well as canning.
Senior Student Council member Elizabeth Knapp has been involved in the dance since freshman year and is now in charge of the business end of things. Knapp, along with the other student council members, has been spending many hours after school counting the money that has been raised.
“The King of Hearts dance is one of my favorite events of the school year,” said Knapp. “I especially love that I get to be a part of such a great cause and it is so fulfilling to see everyone’s hard work come to fruition when the total sum is announced at the pep rally and when the boys are crowned.”
Madeline Gingrich is the editor-in-chief of The Talon, Cedar Crest High School’s student newspaper.