MHS staff dress casual for Alzheimer’s awareness

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Media by Elizabeth Neier

Lisa Nieder is sporting the purple bracelets given to teachers once they make their donation. The bracelet says alzheimer’s association, which is the organization RSD staff donate to. The donations go towards funding research and supporting those with alzheimer’s.

Casual for a Cause is a fundraiser that supports the Alzheimer’s Association and MHS staff have raised $980 for the cause this year.

MHS has been the only high school in RSD to be involved since 2016 and has raised the most money out of RSD schools for the past five years. 

To join the cause, staff members paid $5 a day or $10 or more for the week to dress casually. Staff members were also given a purple bracelet to wear for the week. 

Lisa Nieder, secretary to the activities director, was asked to be the secretary for Causal for a Cause at MHS.

These are faculty members donating out of the kindness of their heart,

— Lisa Nieder

“There’s a lot of people in our building that have been touched too, by the disease,” Nieder said. “These are faculty members donating out of the kindness of their heart.”

Scott Szevery, social studies teacher, has personal experience with elders with dementia in his family. His mother has dementia, and he takes care of her when he can. 

“It’s just a weird juxtaposition to be focused on young people learning and old people forgetting,” Szevery said.

Although this is a fundraiser many staff members contribute to every year, students usually are not aware of it happening. Brittany Sharitz, librarian, began Casual for a Cause at MHS and understands students could still be affected by Alzheimer’s.

“Mrs. Nieder and I should probably communicate a little better in the future and involve you guys so you can feel like you’re contributing as well,” Sharitz said.

But, people don’t have to wait to donate. Students, parents, or staff members are able to donate whenever they’d like to the Alzheimer’s Association through their website.