By JOHN KLINE
Correspondent
GOSHEN —
It’s been 20 years since they walked the halls of their old high school. Now it’s time to give back.
That’s the idea behind Goshen Grads Give, a nonprofit foundation created by the Goshen High School Class of 1990.
New this year, the foundation will kick off its first big event on Saturday in downtown Goshen as part of the Class of 1990’s 20-year reunion weekend.
“It’s now been 20 years, and we’ve all accomplished great things, so with this reunion I really wanted to take the focus off of the reunion itself and put it more on what we could do as a class to support this great community,” said Jennifer (Schrock) Randall, chair of the Goshen Grads Give Foundation Board. “Goshen Grads Give is a way for the community to come together, in particular Goshen grads, and find ways to do just that.”
Foundation Treasurer Jama Brookmyer Graber agreed.
“Instead of just having dinner together and taking a trip down memory lane like at most reunions, we decided that for our 20th reunion we really wanted to do something bigger,” Brookmyer Graber said. “Goshen has always been very willing to support its students and the community. So now, 20 years later, we’re in a position to give back.”
‘A great mom’
For it’s inaugural year, the foundation is placing its focus on remembering Chris St. Germain, a member of the Class of 1990 who passed away from breast cancer several years ago. A mother of two, St. Germain was just 31 when she was diagnosed with the disease with no history of breast cancer in her family. That was 2003.
For nearly four years St. Germain bravely battled her illness as it spread to her brain and beyond.
“Honestly, we always thought Chris would get past it,” said her mother, Claudia. “We always thought she would survive.”
In late 2006 Chris was told she was terminal. She died on March 23, 2007, leaving behind her two children, Allison and Justin, and her husband of just a couple years, Mark Weitzenfeld.
“Chris had great faith and told her pastor at the end that she was at peace,” Claudia said. “It was hard for her to leave her kids, though. She was such a great mom.”
Claudia and her husband, Evan, are now raising Chris’ children here in Goshen.
After high school Chris went on to graduate from IUSB and was pursuing an MBA when she got sick. She was a customer service supervisor at Liberty Mutual Insurance in Mishawaka.
‘Race day’
To honor Chris’ memory and raise awareness about breast cancer, Goshen Grads Give is conducting a 5K Run and 2K Family Fun Run/Walk for Breast Cancer beginning at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of West Washington and Third streets.
The entry fee is $20 until Friday and $25 the day of the race. There is also a student rate of $5 for anyone 18 and under. Registration for the races can be done online at www.goshengradsgive.com.
Brookmyer Graber said a registration booth will also be set up near the Goshen High School football field during this Friday’s home game against NorthWood.
Coinciding with the two races, the foundation will also be conducting a Breast Cancer Awareness health fair Saturday morning at the LOL Health & Fitness Studio, located across from Sorg Jewelers in downtown Goshen.
“The studio is hosting the event, and we’re having members of the Saint Joseph Medical Unit come over and they’ll be offering seminars and on-site mammograms from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.,” Randall said. “As far as cost for the mammograms, it’s still a co-pay, so it’s not a free service, but all insurance will be accepted, including Medicare and Medicaid.”
Anyone interested in scheduling a mammogram is asked to call 1-888-455-4450 to set up an appointment.
“We are fortunate to have many organizations in the community that do a great job in the area of cancer treatment and support, including many initiatives through Goshen Health System like the Goshen Hospice program, The Retreat Women’s Health Center, and the Goshen Center for Cancer Care and The CARE House,” Randall said. “With Saturday’s events, we really wanted to do our best to kind of tie into all of those.”
‘Scholarship funds’
In addition to support of the Goshen Health System initiatives, the money generated from Saturday’s events will go toward establishing a Goshen High School scholarship in memory of Chris St. Germain, as well as the creation of a trust fund to support her surviving children.
“This is our first year, so we’re doing it big,” said Randall. “We want to be able to turn this into a festival that continues to grow year by year, and make it a real family fun event.”
Randall said it is the foundation’s hope that the event will become an annual tradition for the Goshen community and all Goshen High School alumni.
“We would certainly encourage any class that wants to participate, whether they’re having a reunion or they’re just local and want to participate, to join us however they can,” Randall said. “On our website there is a place where anyone can sign up to volunteer or donate, and we still need volunteers for Saturday’s races, so anyone who wants to help out is strongly encouraged to do so.”
Managing editor Michael Wanbaugh contributed to this report
