Viking Hall’s perimeter became a walkway lined with tea lights and paper bags honoring those who have struggled with cancer. The path began at a table covered in flowers and photos of sophomore Walter Lane, who is currently battling Ewing Sarcoma, a cancer that primarily affects the bones.
This was the beginning of the “Hope Walk”, an event held at Tennessee High on Feb. 11, originally conceived by guidance counselor Whitney Singleton. When she heard about Walter’s illness, she wanted to do something to help comfort him, his family, and all those in our community facing challenges.
“I’m proud of the students here,” Singleton said. “It could not have happened without them.”
Singleton was the sponsor for the “Relay for Life” club, a branch of the American Cancer Association, a couple years ago, which also supported individuals battling cancer. “It was really fun. They do a walk all over the country and they do it for 24 hours,” Singleton said. “They do those bags all outside.”
Alongside Singleton, teacher Hope Penley worked with Walter often and wanted to support this event to honor him.
“Walter is one of my students, so I wanted to help do something for his family,” Penley said.
A few days prior to the event, every homeroom was given white lunch bags to decorate in order to honor individuals they knew battling cancer. Names, poems, bible verses, and drawings covered these bags, showing just how impactful this event was.
“There was a lot of concern about ‘gosh, will the students do the bags?” And it was phenomenal to see that students showed up. They did the bags,” Principal Kim Kirk said. “It was just an opportunity to think about all kinds of people that have been touched by cancer.”
Once all bags had been collected, each one was filled with a small tea light and placed around the outside hallways of Viking Hall. Students were called by grade level to take a lap around Viking Hall and experience how much love really filled the halls.
Some bags were also placed on the table at the opening table honoring Walter. Sophomore Bradynne Vandyke, a friend of Walter’s, said, “He’s a good, caring individual. Doesn’t mind [helping] people. I’ve talked to him recently and he’s doing really, really well.”
Every bag in Viking Hall honored someone battling cancer, for a total of around 1000 bags.
“The bags were amazing and meaningful,” Singleton said. “I think it’s important to take time and remember people that you know that are going through something… Everybody has a battle that they’re fighting or going to fight, and you don’t have to be alone.”
With the event being such a success in spreading hope and love for everyone facing cancer, the event is planned to become annual.
“I think in high school, that’s unique for everyone to have gotten something out of an event, and that’s what made it so respectful,” Kirk said.
