GLOCESTER – Fogarty Memorial Elementary School physical education teacher Sean Hart spent two hours outside in a dunk tank yesterday, hitting the water dozen of times as students lined up to throw softballs at the target. The experience raised $2,500 for the American Cancer Society, and was inspired by a former Fogarty student battling cancer, Hart said.
“No regrets,” he said, his sneakers squishing as he climbed out of the tank.
Students paid $5 for three throws, $10 for five throws and $50 to just walk up and hit the target, knocking Hart into the water. Parents could also make a direct donation, and all proceeds went to the American Cancer Society, said Fogarty Principal Tammy Strik.
“When I saw the list of kids who had donated I thought, ‘oh my goodness, how are we going to get through all of this,'” Strik said. She noted Hart, “is just such a trouper.”
The idea to sacrifice himself to the dunk tank was his own, Hart said.
“Yeah, so, that was all from my head, unfortunately,” he said. “We’ve done the Turkey Trot here for the last four years as a fundraiser. We have a former student who has cancer, and I thought we could donate to the American Cancer Society and I’ll get in a dunk tank – that will be a really great idea – never thinking about how it’s almost December.”
Hart said he is always looking for ways to make a positive impact in the community.
“I always believed that you should leave a place better than you found it,” he said. “Hopefully the money we raised from this will be my part in helping to fund cancer research.”
Students did the Turkey Trot and then enthusiastically lined up to take their shots at the tank, occasionally chanting “dunk, dunk dunk!” In between classes, Hart changed shirts and hats in an attempt to stay warm, he said.
“It’s not too bad, just my hands and feet are cold. I’m wearing a wetsuit,” he said. “Tonight I’ll be drinking hot chocolate under my weighted blanket with a dog on my lap.”
American Cancer Society Senior Director of Development Northeast Region Courtenay Needham said school fundraising events like this one are her favorite part of the job.
“The schools in Rhode Island absolutely support us. The communities and schools,” she said. “For example in Lonsdale, they do a full week of raising funds because they had a principal pass from cancer. The schools use it as a teaching opportunity because cancer touches everyone unfortunately.”
