It was a beautiful April evening when 30 attendees gathered at Whitefish High School for a dinner fundraiser that collected about $7,000 for two local families affected by cancer.  

The event was organized by the Whitefish High School Cancer Support Network, a student-run club. The two families benefiting were staff members.  

Several teachers and school staff, parents and other community members purchased tickets for $50 each to help support the effort. A raffle was held during the dinner to raise additional funds. 

Whitefish High School culinary students, aided by culinary arts teacher Jason Sanders, prepared a feastful prime rib for the dinner, while hospitality students worked as event planners, servers and decorators for the event.  

Altogether, 75 students helped to arrange and/or put on the dinner.  

Senior Maggie Mercer has taken a lead in organizing several initiatives to support cancer patients and their families by starting the support network as a new club this year.  

“It felt really good to bring other parts of the community into it,” Mercer said.  

At the dinner, she said, “everyone was talking, was so happy. There were new people, parents and teachers that I had never met before, all for a common good.”  

With the club being in its first year, there were some things to work out – but Mercer is hopeful the club will stay strong with some younger leaders after she graduates.