Lakeview Ft Oglethorpe High School’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes Club and other students are rallying around one of their own. Their cafeteria manager, Debbie Walthour, is in need of a liver transplant and the students are committed to her fundraising goals. Even though she was a Ringgold Tiger alumni, Ms. Walthour has been at LFO for the past 25 years and is a warrior through and through.
Ms. Walthour was diagnosed with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in January 2015 and needs a new liver. Her friends and family have been fundraising for over a year to cover the out-of-pocket medical expenses incurred by her current medical needs, transplant surgery and the future anti-rejection drug costs.
Their first year goal was to raise $10,000, which will be matched by the Georgia Transplant Foundation to cover drug costs. That goal was met in April 2016 just in time for Ms. Walthour's 60th birthday. Her goals don’t stop there. Now, the effort to raise the second year goal of $10,000 is in full swing.
Students and staff at LFO have helped Ms. Walthour raise money by hosting fundraisers such as bake sales and raffles. The woodworking class at the school has been hard at work selling birdhouses they have made during class also.
The FCA at the school is hosting a $6 all-you-can-eat pancake sale on Saturday May 7 from 9-11 a.m. at LFO's cafeteria to support their beloved cafeteria manager. Students will be serving pancakes to their guests and collecting funds for Ms. Walthour.
The community is invited to join the Warriors in support of this worthy cause.
If you are unable to attend, you can follow Ms. Walthour's story on Facebook. Her group is called “Fight Liver Disease, Debbie.”
You can also sign up to be an organ donor at www.donatelife.net. Contrary to some beliefs, no one is too sick or old to be a donor so please sign up today.