Since 2003, the Lake Zurich High School Student Council has enthusiastically organized a school-wide charity event called Charity Bash. In past years, they have raised money for The Ryan York Foundation, The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, The American Lung Association, The American Brain Tumor Association and One Step at a Time Camps...raising the amazing amount of $144,484.00 for these organizations over the past five years! 

This year, they've chosen The Muscular Dystrophy Association as their charity of choice, in memory of Kathleen Surdynski, a Lake Zurich High School German language teacher who passed away earlier this year from respiratory issues associated with the disease. 

Charity Bash kicked off with an assembly on December 3rd to get the students motivated and to educate them about MDA. Throughout this week, they've held various activities to raise money: everything from dodge ball, badminton and basketball tournaments to bake sales, talent shows, board games, auctions and concerts. None of this would be possible without the generous assistance of the Lake Zurich community and local businesses, for which we are all grateful.

Especially during the holiday season, encouraging students and the community to get involved in raising money for a charity is truly the best gift of all. 

I'll be back to update with this year's Charity Bash fundraising total as soon as those figures are made available.

**UPDATE** This year's charity bash set a new fund raising record! $43,866 was raised! Way to go LZHS!

Happy Holidays, Lake Zurich!