BSAC Raises $5405 To Fight Cancer

Brewster High School Students Against Cancer (BSAC) raised $5,405 for national, regional, and local efforts to fight cancer and support cancer patients. The members of the group gathered today to present three checks to representatives from the American Cancer Society, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and the Megan Gersch Foundation.

as part of their recent fundraising efforts. Invited guests included Joelle and Marc Schwartz, Megan Gersch’s mother Mary Gionta, sisters Kayla Kennedy and Sarah Jean Gionta; and Senior Development Manager Kate Corsitto from the American Cancer Society.

“This year we raised money for national, regional,l and local causes,” said BSAC President Lindsay Smith. “In total, we raised $5,405 since the beginning of the school year.”

The first check in the amount of $1,464 was presented to Joelle and Marc Schwartz, parents of Zachary Schwartz, a former Brewster student who died of leukemia, for a charity devoted to fighting pediatric cancer that Zach started himself, ZAAC Attack–Zachary Attacks Childhood Cancer.

Harrison Dakin, a senior, who knew Zachary spoke about him as a “friend to all and a truly great person.”

The second check went to Memorial Sloan Kettering in the amount of $2,000. After raising $1,000 with on-the-ground fundraising efforts, the BSAC money was matched by individuals on Giving Tuesday, which doubled the amount for the research hospital.

The final check was presented to members of Megan Gersch’s family. Megan was a beloved special education teacher at JFK school who died this summer after a five-year battle with breast cancer. The check in the amount of $1,941 was for the Brewster Education Foundation Megan Leigh Gersch Scholarship Fund. It will go to a deserving special needs teacher who has overcome obstacles.   

“Megan loved her job and her students,” said her mother, Mary Gionta, “She wanted to keep a positive attitude and never complained. She was always smiling and thinking about others. Which is why it means so much to us to keep her memory and name alive. We set up this foundation through the Brewster Education Foundation because she loved being a special education teacher. We hope this money will enable a deserving special education teacher and continue her legacy. We are truly touched by your kindness.”

The Brewster community is also grateful for the generosity of the BHS Career Skills students and Beth Meola from The Swag Shop who all donated time and resources to help in the fundraising events to fight cancer.