Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
SECOND GRADERS at the Hurley K-12 School sprint around the track Thursday during the annual Cole's Foundation Walkathon. Students donated $1,945 to the foundation after receiving pledges to walk or run for 30 minutes.
HURLEY - Second grade students at the Hurley K-12 School walked for 30 minutes on Thursday to help kids across the country.
Students received pledges, benefitting the Cole's Foundation of Ironwood. The foundation helps kids with pediatric diseases from across the country, supporting them and their families with encouragement, hope and love.
Cole's Foundation was started by Aaron and Maureen Ruotsala, of Ironwood, after their son, Cole, died from a rare form of childhood cancer called Adreno-Cortical Carcinoma in 2008.
Since the foundation was initiated, students from the Hurley School have donated money.
This year, the students raised $1,945.
Aaron Ruotsala thanked the students and showed them a necklace his wife wears in honor of their son.
The necklace features beads, one for each time Cole had to go through a medical procedure while fighting cancer.
"These represent some of the things he had to go through," Ruotsala said. "His necklace is actually relatively small compared to some of the other children, who have multiple necklaces for their battles with cancer."
The students also wrote letters to kids battling illnesses across the country, which will be mailed through the foundation's office in Ironwood.
"That makes a big difference to those kids," Ruotsala said. "Thank you for everything you guys have done. It means a lot."
For more information, call the Hurley K-12 School at 715-561-4900 or visit colesfoundation.org.
