Project Graduation holds fundraiser at Fresh Fire CCI downtown

By BRITTANY FHOLER
Cove Leader-Press

Fundraising started earlier this month for the Copperas Cove High School’s Class of 2022 Project Graduation and continued with a bake sale held at Fresh Fire CCI located at 216 S. 2nd Street. 
Students and parent volunteer Dorothy Whiteman set up at Fresh Fire CCI from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., selling baked goods such as cookies, cupcakes, brownies, rice crisp cereal bars and more along with faux leather key chains made by Kristyn Linker, a mother of one of the seniors. 
Held every year the night of graduation, Project Graduation is aimed at providing a lock-in type event that offers a safe alternative to graduating seniors in lieu of parties with alcohol that can result in underage drinking and drunk driving. 
“So many times every year, we know students that get out, they drink, they drive, and somebody dies because of that,” Whiteman said. “This is a safe alternative for the kids to go to and have that one last big bash together as a team, as a group.”
Project Graduation is a parent and student led group that relies on donations/sponsorships typically in order to fund the final hoorah for the graduates. 
Last Saturday’s bake sale fundraiser served as the group’s third fundraiser so far, and the group had raised approximately $1,200, according to Whiteman. 
“The goal is the more money we can raise, the better the event, but we’d also like to be able to raise enough money so that every child gets to leave with some kind of door prize,” Whiteman said. “We’ll do raffles and games and activities throughout the night so that they can win prizes, but also to be able to give them a great night, a great event, a great lock in.”
Whiteman’s son, Hunter, is a senior this year, so it is even more important for her to help provide this type of safe environment. 
“[It’s important] so that my son has the safe event to go to and not be one of the statistics,” Whiteman said. “So basically, it’s because I want my kids to have a great time, and I want them to be able to be safe and have that last event with their friends, and it’s important to keep our kids safe. This is our future, and if we can provide them safe opportunities and safe choices, then that’s going to be the best thing for them.”
Hunter said that he liked that Project Graduation serves as a safe get together. 
“It’s also so that we can make sure that we have one last big party, but with all of our friends in a safer environment, not just like at someone’s house or whatever,” he said. “We will have like a specific place that we’ll go to, whether it’s the school or somewhere out in town, it’s going to be a safe spot that we can still have fun, act like ourselves and be individuals, but hopefully acting responsible enough.” 
Whiteman said that the thing that is most needed is community support because “these are your kids too; These are our town’s kids.” 
The Copperas Cove High School Project Graduation group is planning for the next fundraiser/bake sale to be February 12, 2022, from noon to around 4 p.m. at the same location inside Fresh Fire CCI. 
Those wishing to provide a donation to Project Graduation are encouraged to contact the Project Graduation School Liaison Jeni Carbone-Williams at Copperas Cove High School by calling the high school at 254-547-2534.