Rory’s class dedicated graduation year

The eighth grade class at Elm Place Middle School, which Rory would have been a member of, added to their graduation year by organizing a number of successful fundraisers on behalf of The Foundation — including a Valentines Day dance that raised $2,500 for The Foundation and in May an auction featuring everything from restaurant gift certificates to celebrity and sports memorabilia. Through letters and e-mails to potential donors, they explained The Foundation’s mission and their fundraising goals. “They were all excited about being involved with this last big bash for Rory,” said eighth grade teacher John Whitehead. “To them, their eighth grade year was really about something.”