St. Mary students donate to alumna family

Late this past school year, St. Mary’s students held a special jean day to raise funds for Parker Goodvin, daughter of Tasha (Drey) Goodvin, a 2010 St. Mary’s Graduate. Parker, just turning 2 this past week, has been in the hospital for 6 weeks on bedrest after extensive surgery related to spina bifida.

St. Mary’s students had an opportunity to wear jeans on a Friday if they chose to donate $0.50-$1.00 to this special cause. Many students went above and beyond and donated more than the required amount, raising a total of $625 for the Goodvin Family, who currently reside in Sioux City.

Tasha’s parents, Steve and Jean Drey, live in Storm Lake and are members of the St. Mary’s Parish. St. Mary’s student, Neely Bacon, commented, “We thought this was the perfect cause for our school to come together and support a former Panther and her family, not only financially but also through our thoughts and prayers. Our school wants to show Tasha and her family love and support!”

Spina Bifida means “split spine”. It occurs during the first month of pregnancy when the spinal column fails to close. At the opening, many of the body’s nerves are exposed and often even protruding causing damage to the body from that point down.  Four to five babies are born each day in the US with Spina Bifida. Spina Bifida is known as a snowflake condition; this means it is different for every person.