BY HANS HINEBAUGH

Spring is the time of a return to nice weather.  It is the time when upperclassmen stop learning new material and begin preparation for the AP tests, the time when most students begin to run off the pent-up energy of the winter out in the longer daylight and warmer temperatures, and it is the time when seniors generally begin to feel the most aggressive symptoms of that infamous disease, “senioritis.”  Generally, it is not the time when any students take on full-scale fundraising projects.

Ellen Dolle, a senior planning to attend The Ohio State University next year, has begun to ramp up efforts to get Mariemont students involved in the Walk Now for Autism Speaks event this May 17, 2014 at Coney Island.

She says she wanted to take on this project after babysitting her neighbor, Bryan, since the summer going into her junior year of high school.  “His mom is helping organize the walk this year, so she suggested I help raise awareness at the high school,” Dolle says.

Raising awareness is not all this senior is doing.  In addition to spreading the word, she has also prepared t-shirts to sell at the boys’ lacrosse game against Indian Hill on May 16.  To supplement  funds for Mariemont’s team at the Autism Speaks event, she also plans to organize a bake sale during that same lacrosse game.

Dolle says that the most important aspect of this project’s success will be student participation.  She comments, “I knew so little about Autism, and I want to help raise awareness.  By getting the Mariemont community involved, I felt like I could reach the most people.”

Already, Dolle has another classmate on board, fellow senior Sami Ricketts.  Ricketts was drawn to the project because of her friend’s “passion” for the event.  “She has become so close with the kids she babysits that she wants to do something to give back, and if I can be a part of something so special to her, I want to be involved,” Ricketts says.

Though it has not been designated a family project, Julia Dolle, Ellen’s sophomore sister, has also indicated an interest in contributing to the cause.  In addition to working on spreading the word among fellow underclassmen, she will add to the bake sale and help with t-shirt sales.  She says she hopes to help raise awareness not only about Autism in general, but of its effects here in the Mariemont community as well.

Though the elder Dolle has been helming the undertaking, Ricketts has been enthusiastic about spreading the word to the lacrosse teams, and has also promoted the event to Key Club.  In addition to these responsibilities, she looks forward to contributing to the bake sale, providing input on the t-shirt design, and walking in the event itself.

Their looming graduation confirms these students’ charitable intentions.  Both girls have found the event preparation to be exciting.  Says Ricketts, “Ellen says the amount raised isn’t as important to her as peoples’ awareness and involvement in this walk.”

They have the team, they have the plan, and now they are gunning for the support.  Dolle says “Students can help by donating baked goods for the bake sale, buying a spirit shirt for the lacrosse game, and signing up for the walk.”

Students interested in helping Ellen out and supporting Autism can follow this link