It didn’t take long for the North Clay FFA officer team to decide on their chapter’s 2020 community service project. They wanted to raise funds for a seizure response dog for a fellow FFA member, Macy Worthey.
“Macy is one of our own members, and it was something close to home that we wanted to help with,” says chapter president Kadie Pierson.
Macy Worthey (center) with North Clay FFA advisor Katrina Van Dyke (left) and chapter president Kadie Pierson (right).
Worthey, a sophomore at North Clay High School in Louisville, Ill., has experienced uncontrollable seizures since the fifth grade. A seizure alert dog would help Worthey remain in a safe position during a seizure, alert others or find help.
“We knew about seizure alert dogs but didn’t have the money to pay for one,” Worthey says.
FFA members started brainstorming ideas to raise the $20,000 needed to purchase a trained seizure alert dog and decided to host a 5K fun run. Chapter reporter McKenna Carter had participated in several charity races. “I’d seen how big they can be and how much influence they can have,” she says.
An outdoor race also allowed for social distancing to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19, which helped high school administrators, the school board and the county health department grant approval, says Katrina Van Dyke, agriculture education teacher and FFA advisor.
The North Clay FFA alumni, local newspapers and radio stations promoted the event. Registrations – and donations – started pouring in.
On Nov. 7, more than 148 runners laced up their sneakers to run a 5K route around the North Clay High School grounds. The event also included a virtual race that drew participants from three states. The fun run raised $20,000; the exact amount Worthey needed to pay for a support dog.
“We never dreamed we could raise that much from one event,” Van Dyke says. “As we sat in my room that evening, counting [the donations], we couldn’t believe it. We thought $20,000 might take several months to raise, but it only took us 25 days to reach our goal.”
Seeing the turnout was an emotional experience for Worthey.
“It was incredible,” she says. “I cried when I got home, knowing that all of those people cared about me and wanted to help me; it made me feel really good.”
The funds allowed North Clay FFA to write a check to SIT Service Dogs in Ava, Ill., on behalf of the Worthey family. One of its certified Labrador retrievers recently had a litter of five puppies; each puppy will undergo rigorous training to become a seizure alert dog. Worthey says she cannot wait to partner with a new dog.
“The wait is the hardest part,” Worthey says. “I’m so grateful, and it’s still kind of surreal.”
For more service ideas and resources, visit FFA.org/livingtoserve/grants/.
