Teen leads effort to raise money for MDA

A determined teen kept an 11-year commitment to others going this year at Northwestern High School. Junior Travis Listing stepped up to lead his DECA — an association of marketing students — club’s silent auction fundraiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

“He’s done an excellent job,” said Northwestern DECA club advisor Jody Forsythe. Although the auction has been successful over the years, it takes a lot of work.

“He was willing to do that,” Forsythe said.

Listing, the civic consciousness officer for the club, said it was important to continue the tradition of giving. If someone doesn’t decide to lead the fundraiser, he said, it will be forgotten “and there will be that much less funding toward the research of MDA and less involvement between DECA and our local communities.”

Letters were sent and more than 50 prizes were collecting. Listing is keeping busy promoting the auction at home basketball games and by word-of-mouth. It’s been mainly a solo effort, Forsythe said, although fellow students helped address envelopes. Listing is also holding a change drive for students and staff. His fundraising goal is $900. That would be enough to send one child with muscular dystrophy to camp with $100 extra. That last $100 could pay for an annual flu shot ($35), a follow-up clinic visit ($75), one minute of research ($82) or half of an initial diagnostic work-up.

Forsythe said Listing is well on his way to raising $1,000, double what last year’s students raised.

“People are just being very generous,” she said. All funds raised from the auction and change drive will be given to the Northland Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Interested shoppers have until Jan. 20 to bid on items ranging from a 2010-11 signed Packers football, a baseball signed by Twins pitcher Joe Nathan, work by local artists, golfing packages at Poplar Golf, passes to places like the Great Lakes Aquarium and Superior Public Museums, one-night stays at Bad River Casino and the Inn on Lake Superior, gift certificates to many local businesses, a quilt, a socket set, autographed pictures of stars and much more.

By participating in the auction, Listing said, donors can help people living with Muscular Dystrophy like NHS alumnus Jerrett Tuura. Although he graduated before Listing’s freshman year, Tuura helps motivate students to do the fundraiser, Forsythe said.

“It’s nice to have something they can contribute to where they understand the complications of the disease,” she said.

Bidding can be done in person at the Jan. 17 NHS girls home basketball game. Potential bidders can also get a list of items available, send a bid to for a select item, check what the current bid is and find out if they are the high bidder by e-mailing jforsyth@maple.k12.wi.us. A list of items can also be found on the Telegram’s website, www.superiortelegram.com,.

Holding projects like the silent auction helps students understand how they can make a difference, Forsythe said, and can influence their future activities.

“If they volunteer at an early age, they will volunteer when they’re older,” she said. “It’s an important lesson.”

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