IrishTHON Set for November 7 to Raise Money for Local Cancer Organization

TOLEDO, OH - Students and staffulty at Central Catholic will participate in IrishTHON on Saturday, November 7 from 6 to 10 p.m. in the Sullivan Center.  Donations raised from the event will go directly to Catching Up With Jack, a local organization committed to helping kids battling cancer as well as supporting research to find a cure.

Central Catholic students raise money through sponsorships from families, friends, and alumni donors.  Throughout the evening, they spend time dancing, having lip sync battles, and playing games like musical chairs, cornhole, 3 on 3 basketball, and pickleball.  They stay active and, on their feet, to represent how medical staff members stay busy and on their feet during a shift at the hospital.  

Representatives from the Catching Up With Jack organization will be at the event to speak to students, and they will also hear from Corri (Helldobler) Stanley ’03, a former Central Catholic teacher and head girls’ basketball coach.  Her family received help from the organization when her son Colton fought T-cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma.  

“IrishTHON is one of the many ways our students are able to come together to support an important cause and raise money for those in need,” said Kylee Stewart ’18, CCHS biology teacher and one of the IrishTHON advisors. 

“I attended IrishTHON in the past, and hearing stories from the families that we are helping had a huge impact on me,” said senior Danni Witcher, a member of the core planning team.  “I wanted to get more involved this year to learn even more, and to show I care about this cause.  This event shows how Central Catholic is a family and a community.  We are reaching out to help families and show that we are here for them and that they are part of our community.”

“I wanted to get involved because I really support the cause of helping kids who are fighting cancer,” added senior Beckham Vargas, another member of the planning team.  “Having an event like this shows that Central Catholic cares about the community and that we want to help others outside of just our school.”

Central Catholic students created the IrishTHON in 2019 as a way for CCHS to do more community outreach, not only for our surrounding neighbors, but for the city of Toledo as a whole.  Since its inception, the event has raised over $57,000 to help local families.