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s e r v I n g tay l or , ol D f or g e , moosIc & surrounDIng areas trIborobanner.com |may 4, 2017
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Kindergarteners performed ‘Kitty Cat Capers’|pAGE 14
A Show of Support Riverside community plans charity dodgeball tourney By Josh McAuliffe
special to the Triboro Banner Stephanie McManus is always the first to lend a helping hand to her fellow teachers at Riverside Junior-Senior High School. So, it goes without saying that her colleagues would step up and assist her in her current battle against breast cancer. On Saturday, May 20, the Health and Fine Arts Department at Riverside will host a Dodgeball Tournament benefiting McManus and her family. The double-elimination tournament will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the high school. Organizers are looking for eight to 10 teams composed of Riverside students grades 9-12, Riverside faculty and staff and Riverside alums. Admission is $50 per 10-member team. Registration can be done through Riverside teachers Megan Gerlach and Natalie Winters. Top teams will receive prizes and trophies. For spectators, tournament admission is $1, or a monetary donation of your choice. There will also be a bake sale, basket raffle, T-shirt sale and concession stand. “It should be a fun day for everybody,” Gerlach said. “It’s going well so far. We have tons of volunteers, tons of donations.” A longtime family and consumer sciences teacher at Riverside, McManus was diagnosed with triple-negative breast
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cancer a few months ago. Since then, the Larksville resident has been undergoing treatments locally. She and husband Jason have two children, Aubrey, 12, and Caleb, 10. “She’s actually doing awesome. And she has a really awesome attitude,” Gerlach said. Nonetheless, those treatments have largely kept her away from the classroom, and students and faculty alike have been missing her very active presence. McManus also serves as the school’s National Honor Society advisor and Senior Class advisor, and is known for making and distributing Dr. Seuss hats for the district’s elementary students and decorating the stage for graduation night. It’s the little things, too. For instance, Gerlach said, when the faculty orders lunch from a local restaurant on Fridays, McManus is always the one to step up and collect the orders. “She’s always doing things for others because she wants to, not because she has to. The kids love her, and the faculty and staff love her, too,” Gerlach said. “She’s the best co-worker. She always goes above and beyond for people. She does everything out of the kindness of her heart.” As it happens, McManus had been wanting to a dodgeball tournament at the school for the past few years. So, it seemed like the natural choice for a fundraiser, according to Gerlach. “We just thought, what a great way to support her by doing something she wanted to do. It was an easy decision,” Gerlach said. “She doesn’t expect any of
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McManus poses with her daughter Aubrey.
this. She doesn’t like anyone making a fuss over her.” All told, it should make for a fun day for a great person. “We just want everyone to come out and support her,” Gerlach said. “It’s just a good show of support that we and the kids are behind her.”
If you go
What: Dodgeball Tournament Fundraiser for Stephanie McManus and family
Where: Riverside Junior/Senior High School, 310 Davis St., Taylor When: Saturday, May 20, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Details: Admission is $50 per 10-member team. Registration can be done through Riverside teachers Megan Gerlach and Natalie Winters. For spectators, tournament admission is $1, or a monetary donation of your choice. For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page.