You can call it the gift that keeps on giving. Late last year students at Melbourne Central Catholic and St. Joseph’s Catholic School teamed up with West Shore and Lake Washington Fellowship Church to host Jason’s Run 5K and raised more than $25,000 to help Jason Whitworth. The former physical education teacher and cross-country coach was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in 2011 and the money raised helped with medical bills and retrofitting his Melbourne home to accommodate his wheelchair. The event took place as part of Make a Difference Day. “We’ve been participating in Make a Difference Day for the last 15 years,” said St. Joseph assistant principal Carol Guthrie. “This year the students decided they wanted to help Jason.” Last month Guthrie and other committee members traveled to Washington, D.C. to accept this year’s USA Weekend Make A Difference Day All-Star award. Their project received more online votes than four other finalists from around the country to receive the prestigious award and a $10,000 check for charity. Whitworth and his wife Gayle have designated the money go to the ALS Association Florida Chapter for medical research.
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