MDA

By TIFFANNIE BOND

VIEW STAFF WRITER

Principals from three Henderson schools were incarcerated recently -- all in the name of charity.

Muscular Dystrophy Association members slapped plastic handcuffs on principals from White Middle School as well as Bartlett and Taylor elementary schools, then carted them off to Findlay Toyota. That's where the principals met others in the Henderson area who had been arrested for the same reason -- to raise money for the MDA.

Armed with cellular phones and local contacts' names and numbers, Taylor principal Lisa Babcock, Bartlett principal Mike O'Dowd and White principal Emil Wozniak joined local business leaders in making phone calls to raise bail.

By their release time, approximately 75 pseudo-inmates raised $41,000 for the organization, which helps fund research to cure forms of muscular dystrophy, any of several inherited diseases characterized by the slow deterioration of the skeletal muscles.

For O'Dowd, participating in the fund-raiser was a way to say "thank you" for the healthy son he and his wife adopted six months ago.

"We're blessed that he's healthy and doing well, but other families are struggling with (unhealthy children), and I thought, what a great way help," O'Dowd said.

The money raised will remain in the valley to help Southern Nevadans -- an important detail to Wozniak, whose school raised $300 on short notice.

White students also participate in fund-raisers throughout the year for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, American Cancer Society, MASH Village and the Spinoza Bear Fund Raising Event.

"t was our way to extend ourselves to the community. We have to coexist," Wozniak said.

Once students and faculty embraced the other charitable organizations, saying yes to MDA was easy.

"Once we got involved with other activities, it was a natural extension," Wozniak said. "I thought this was another way to help out."

Lisa Babcock, principal at Taylor, raised $400 by calling friends in the school district. However, it was her students' involvement that made collecting for the charity worthwhile.

After explaining to the students how children with muscular dystrophy couldn't run and play like they do at recess, Babcock placed a jar in the office and watched as change steadily filled it. She counted $40 in change as she sat in jail.

"If they wanted to give their change, we had a bucket in the office," Babcock said. "They gave their quarters, nickels and pennies, (so) it didn't matter how much we made. It was the fact they were willing to help other kids."

Because Taylor's socioeconomic standard is lower than average, Babcock was even more impressed the children were willing to donate their ice cream money. When Babcock was taken away in plastic handcuffs, the children played along.

"They all stood at the fence and said `Bring her back,' " Babcock said. "It was cute. They had fun with it."

Those interested in more information on the Muscular Dystrophy Association can call 822-6920.