Oliver Ames Students Skip Gifts on Sweet 16, Get Donations for

Special Olympics Instead

 

Four local girls raise $2,900 for Special Olympics Easton Team

 

 

Taunton, Mass.—When four best friends asked their parents if they could have a combined Sweet 16 birthday party, little did the girls know that a surprise party was already planned. For Alison Hickey and Sarah Hurley of South Easton, and Meaghan McCarthy and Krista Tierney of North Easton, their surprise Sweet 16 may have turned out to be their biggest act of kindness.

 

As the birthday girls discussed party plans, their parents listened to their ideas about party location, guest list, and music. The girls also talked about collecting donations for a charity in lieu of gifts. One of the charities the girls mentioned was Special Olympics. The girls are sophomores at Oliver Ames High School, where the Special Olympics Easton team practices in preparation for regional and statewide competitions. The girls were also inspired by classmate Amanda Church, a Special Olympics athlete, who is a familiar face around Oliver Ames High School. Taking their cue from their daughters’ idea, the parents decided to ask party guests to make a donation to Special Olympics Massachusetts rather than bring gifts for the birthday girls.

 

The result?  A cool $2900, every penny of which will directly benefit Amanda and her teammates.

 

“These young ladies not only raised an incredible amount for our Special Olympics athletes, they’ve likely inspired others to do something just as unique and extraordinary with their own sweet sixteens,” said Jay O’Brien, south section director for Special Olympics Massachusetts (SOMA). “This was a very mature decision, one they’ll look back on with pride for the rest of their lives. It’s another example what young people can accomplish when they put their minds to helping others in their surrounding community.”

The students presented the donations at one of the Special Olympics basketball team’s weekly Monday night practices at Oliver Ames High School in January.

 

“Since Special Olympics gets virtually all of its funding through fundraising activities and donations like these, every decision like the one these girls made has a big positive impact for our local athletes,” added O’Brien. “Since we have teams in most of the cities and towns in southeastern Massachusetts and beyond, we hope others follow in their footsteps.”