By Ashley M. Casey

Associate Editor

Last week, 15 elementary and middle schools across Central New York kicked off Change for Hope, a fundraising campaign for Griffin’s Guardians.

Griffin’s Guardians was founded in 2014 by the family of Griffin Engle, a Cicero boy who died at age 7 from a rare form of brain cancer. The organization supports CNY families who are affected by pediatric cancer and raises money for research.

“We wanted something where we got kids involved but we didn’t want it to be a huge strain on parents financially or be constantly asking for money,” said Erin Engle, Griffin’s mother and co-founder of Griffin’s Guardians. “We wanted to show them they could make a difference.”

Engle and GG Event Coordinator Amy Kirk reached out to teachers they know on social media, asking them to be “guardians” of the Change for Hope project, which involves students collecting spare change.

“Our hope was to get 13 schools — 13 was Griff’s favorite number,” Engle said.

Fifteen schools have signed on for the fundraiser, which runs Jan. 21 through Feb. 28: Chestnut Hill Middle School, Donlin Driver Elementary and Nate Perry Elementary in the Liverpool Central School District; Cicero Elementary and Lakeshore Road Elementary in the North Syracuse Central School District; Driver Middle School and K.C. Heffernan Elementary in Marcellus; Casey Park Elementary in Auburn, Cato Elementary, Bolivar Road Elementary in Chittenango, Mott Road Elementary in the Fayetteville-Manlius Central School District, Elbridge Elementary, Waterman Elementary in Skaneateles, East Hill Elementary in the West Genesee Central School District and Onondaga Hill Middle School in the Westhill Central School District.

The schools are well on their way to meeting Change for Hope’s goal of $10,000, which would provide financial assistance for 10 families whose kids are undergoing cancer treatment at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital.

“This week we already went over $2,000,” said Cathy Siechen, Change for Hope guardian at Cicero Elementary.

Siechen, who teaches first grade, had Everett Engle — the Engles’ youngest son — in her class last year. Everett was just 2-and-a-half when his brother Griffin passed away. Now, Everett and his classmates are vying to raise money in Griffin’s memory.

“There’s a buzz in our school and the kids are really excited about it,” Siechen said.

The grade level that raises the most money at Cicero El will receive an ice cream party, thanks to the parent-teacher group.

Student ambassadors like Everett are making videos with tips on collecting coins. Everett said he would ask his mom to donate the spare change in her purse. Other student ambassadors said they will return bottles and cans or ask their families to contribute.

Teachers at Cicero El have incorporated Change for Hope into their lessons, Siechen said. Third-grade math teachers have set their students to work sorting coins and asking kids, “How many quarters are in a dollar?”

“It really is just a couple coins changing lives one at a time,” Siechen said. “I’ll be excited to see how much we can bring in for Griffin’s Guardians and all the things they do. It’s tremendous.”

While elementary schoolers are easily motivated with the prospect of ice cream, Allison Joyce at Chestnut Hill Middle School has to work a little harder to entice her students to participate.

“It’s harder to motivate middle schoolers than elementary schoolers,” she said. “You need to keep it ramped up throughout the whole process.”

The 16 CHM homerooms will compete each week for Monday morning doughnuts, and the winning class will receive a lunch catered by Tully’s.

Also, CHM Principal David Hunter has agreed to record a TikTok video of the students’ choosing if they reach their fundraising goal of $1,000. TikTok is a social media app popular among teenagers that features videos of people lip-syncing and dancing.

Based on their first week of fundraising, the kids at CHM have a decent chance of forcing their principal to record a goofy video. Joyce said they have already raised $374.66.

At Cicero El, staff and faculty are pitching in as well. Teachers and other employees are donating their pocket change, too, and entering a drawing. Principal Kathy Wheeler will spend a 40-minute period filling in for the winner, whether it’s a reading lesson, gym class or custodial duties.

For Siechen, the fight against pediatric cancer hits close to home, and not just because of her connection to the Engle family.

“I had a brother who passed away from cancer, so it’s near and dear to my heart. He was a senior when he was diagnosed; I was a sophomore. He battled it for 18 months,” she said.

Joyce said her son was in Everett’s class at Cicero El last year, and the daughter of a friend from college is battling brain cancer.

“Seeing what they’ve been through, it’s a foundation I’m passionate about,” Joyce said of Griffin’s Guardians.

Cheers for a Charity is Feb. 8

While the little ones are shaking down relatives for spare change, Griffin’s Guardians also has an event planned for its grownup supporters. The second annual Cheers for a Charity takes place Feb. 8 at Maxwell’s in Hanover Square in downtown Syracuse.

Engle and Kirk said GG supporters were clamoring for a more casual event than the annual Gold Tie Gala, which takes place each September.

“We have people who don’t want to come to the gala and get dressed up, and it’s a heavier price tag for sure,” Kirk said.

Cheers for a Charity is a “low-key night” for Griffin’s Guardians supporters to share drinks, pizza and wings, and watch the Syracuse University game.

“It’s kind of a rustic feel in there. It’s cozy,” Kirk said of the venue, Maxwell’s. “Last year, whatever music they piped in was a great playlist.”

Tops Markets has donated desserts for the evening, which also features door prizes and a 50/50 raffle. Cheers for a Charity is sponsored by TTM Technologies.

Looking ahead, the next major Griffin’s Guardians event is Kicking Cancer in the Nets, a soccer shootout competition scheduled for June 13.

“That’s a festival-like setting,” Kirk said. “It’s going to be a high-stakes tournament this year.”

Beyond the soccer shootout, the sixth annual Gold Tie Gala will take place Sept. 19 at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown.

To learn more about Griffin’s Guardians, visit griffinsguardians.org.

Cheers for a Charity

When: 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8

Where: Maxwell’s, 122 E. Genesee St., Syracuse

Tickets: $45, includes drink ticket, appetizers, Griffin’s Guardians signature glass, 50/50s and raffles. Visit griffinsguardians.org/cheers-for-a-charity.html. At the door, tickets are $50.