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Poland community gives money, love, prayers to family in need
By BRUCE WALTON
POLAND
When youth-wrestling coach Greg Schafer, 43, underwent emergency surgery due to a blood clot and hemorrhage on his brain Feb. 27, it shocked the Poland community.
But no one more than Lisa Weimer, who initiated a school-districtwide fundraiser for more than $10,000 Friday.
Since Schafer is the breadwinner for his family, Weimer knew how difficult life would be for Schafer’s stay-at-home wife, Danielle, and their four children.
“They’re that wholesome, wonderful, giving family, and you’d hate to see it happen to anyone,” she said.
Weimer, 42, said she heard about Schafer’s conditions from her son, whom Schafer coached in wrestling, and decided she had to help Schafer’s family by first providing them meals on an online crowd-funding site, takethemameal.com, that weekend.
On Feb. 29, Weimer spoke to Poland Schools Superintendent David Janofa about what more could be done. Janofa gave full rein to Weimer and other parents willing to help the family.
“We [school administrators] have really just been facilitators,” Janofa said. “They do all the work. ... So really, it’s just our ability to support parents coming in helping other families, and we’re certainly happy to do that.”
Once she received permission from Janofa, Weimer started working on a communitywide fundraiser, sharing on the school district’s website to raise money to support the family financially, as well as fliers sent to students and their parents.
All members of the community could give money to help the family. In addition to her efforts, Danielle’s three sisters created a Facebook page and a crowd-funding page at youcaring.com, raising a separate amount of more than $8,000.
The district also planned Friday as spirit day to wear school colors as a gesture of solidarity and support for Schafer’s family.
Weimer set a goal of $10,000 but the fundraiser exceeded her expectations. The effort raised $10,328.38.
Even then, she said she wasn’t surprised by the enormous turnout because of the village’s constant love and support.
“Everybody who is in need I try and be there, because my thing is to pay it forward because you never know when you’re going to be the one that needs it,” Weimer said, adding she wanted to thank all the people who helped with the fundraiser.
All proceeds collected were added to the “Sharing with the Schafers fund” set up at Farmers National Bank that Weimer presented to Danielle’s sisters Friday morning.