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Kaegebein Elementary School children read during a read-a-thon April 7 in support of the GI Challenge, a fundraiser for Children's Hospital, and afterward, the school had a visit from Buffalo Sabres mascot Sabretooth and Buffalo Bills mascot Billy Buffalo.
Kaegebein Elementary School children read during a read-a-thon April 7 in support of the GI Challenge, a fundraiser for Children's Hospital, and afterward, the school had a visit from Buffalo Sabres mascot Sabretooth and Buffalo Bills mascot Billy Buffalo.

Islandwide read-a-thon raises money for GI Challenge

Sat, Apr 15th 2017 07:00 am

Students in the Grand Island Central School District quietly raised money Friday for a new room of care at Children's Hospital.

The school district set aside Friday afternoon, April 7, for a read-a-thon to help raise money for the Grand Island room at the new Children's Hospital. The local community is trying to raise $25,000 to have a room in the new Children's Hospital named after Grand Island. The read-a-thon was a fundraiser for the GI Challenge, initiated by Dr. Stacey Watt, chief of anesthesiology for Kaleida Health and a native Islander. Every student read for 20 minutes and donated pledges.

"You're reading to help make sure that Children's Hospital has a room with Grand Island's name on it," Kaegebein Elementary School Principal Mary Haggerty told the students and staff assembled in the school gymnasium.

After reading quietly for 20 minutes, students received a visit from Sabretooth and Billy Buffalo, mascots of the Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bills, respectively, who attended the event to celebrate with the children after the read-a-thon.

The new John R. Oishei Children's Hospital in Buffalo is slated to open in November to replace the current hospital building on Bryant Street. Watt initiated the fund drive with a goal of $25,000, which would be used to build a room of care designated with a plaque, a permanent reminder to patients that the room was dedicated from Islanders.

Kaegebein Elementary School children read during a read-a-thon April 7 in support of the GI Challenge, a fundraiser for Children's Hospital, and afterward, the school had a visit from Buffalo Sabres mascot Sabretooth and Buffalo Bills mascot Billy Buffalo. 

Kaegebein Elementary School children read during a read-a-thon April 7 in support of the GI Challenge, a fundraiser for Children's Hospital, and afterward, the school had a visit from Buffalo Sabres mascot Sabretooth and Buffalo Bills mascot Billy Buffalo.

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