Metro
Not Forgotten
Hillel teachers, students honor girl 'who made a difference.'
Shelli Liebman Dorfman
Senior Writer
the weathered condition of a bench that
sits near the school's track. It was donated
in memory of Alex, who was a runner.
ith deep affection for Alex
Repainting the bench became an eighth-
Graham, who died of can-
grade advisory project.
cer in 1999 at age 17, her
"Eighth-graders, especially Jake Bross,
former teachers at Hillel Day School of
[15, of West Bloomfield] came up with
Metropolitan Detroit helped to share the
the design and he and Sam Berke [14, of
lessons they learned from her
West Bloomfield] and Danny
with the school's most recent
Nemer [ 14, of Bloomfield
class of graduates.
Hills] repainted the whole
In planning this year's
thing," Schwartz said.
eighth-grade Student Congress
The bench now bears
tzedakah project, Sharon
Alex's name in English and in
Schwartz, who had been
Hebrew and includes the year
Alex's eighth-grade teacher,
she graduated from Hillel:
asked the students to become
1995.
involved in the Make-A-Wish
Next, Lash was inspired to
Foundation of Michigan
arrange for landscaping near
Alex Grah am
(MAW), an organization that
the bench. She enlisted the
was very meaningful to Alex. Along the
help of Shecter Landscaping in Keego
way, they were able to learn about her life Harbor, which donated materials and
and continue her legacy.
a crew, who worked alongside some
"I wanted them to know that Alex was
of the students. Delivery was donated
an extraordinary girl who learned how
to help others while she herself struggled
to overcome so many obstacles;' said
Schwartz, who serves as the Farmington
Hills-based school's middle school
Student Congress adviser, along with
teacher Barbara Acker.
Schwartz arranged for the students to
view a video made by Alex that was her
wish, granted by MAW, a public service
announcement that has been aired over
and over again on television stations. It
shows Alex, surrounded by other young
people with cancer, reminding those who
see them to smile, instead of stare.
The yearlong tzedakah project the
class took on was multifaceted, including
fundraising and creating a memorial site
for future Hillel students to remember
Alex. Through ice cream and candy sales,
hat and team sports dress-up days and
a movie week event, the students raised
$750 for Team Alex, which will partici-
pate in the July 26-29 MAW Wish-A-Mile
fundraising bike ride. The students pre-
sented the funds to Alex's parents, who
live in West Bloomfield. "Meeting Bill
and Susie was wonderful for the kids;'
Schwartz said.
W
by Angelo's Landscaping Supplies of
Farmington Hills and Home Depot
donated patio pavers.
"The whole area is now a beautiful
blooming garden;' Schwartz said. A Torah
buried several years ago, lies beneath the
ground near the bench. "It was unrelated
to Alex, but it was unmarked. We saw the
opportunity to make the whole area one
of beauty, so the students made a marker;'
Schwartz said.
Alex's parents were surprised with
the viewing of the bench and the garden
when they were invited to the school for
the June 13 check presentation and gar-
den re-dedication.
"I wanted current students to know
about a former student who made a
difference in the world and how Team
Alex keeps her memory alive through
good deeds for others — the concept
of tikkun olam that they learn at Hillel,"
Schwartz said. "I didn't want her to be
forgotten." 7
Moving Outside
During the course of the school year,
Schwartz and colleague Robin Lash, who
was also one of Alex's teachers, noticed
18
July 19 2007
Susie and Bill Graham with teachers Sharon Schwartz and Barbara Acker behind
the bench painted in memory of the Grahams' daughter, Alex.
Snacking
For Dreams
Local bikers ride
for donations to
Make-A-Wish.
C
ontinually seeking innova-
tive ways to support the
Make-A-Wish Foundation of
Michigan (MAW), Team Alex, a group
of local bike riders, has come up
with yet another plan.
Late last year they debuted the
somewhat-risque "Barely Team
Alex" calendar; now they are sell-
ing "Alex's Naturals," a line of more
than two dozen organic snacks.
During the months leading up to
the July 26-29, 300-mile Wish-A-Mile
annual fundraising bike ride from
Traverse City to Chelsea, the prod-
ucts have been on sale in 11 states.
Partial proceeds will go MAW, which
works to fulfill the dreams of chil-
dren with life-threatening illnesses.
The idea for the natural treats
was conceived by Avi Brandvain of
Farmington Hills, director of the
confection, nuts and snacks divi-
sion of Lipari Foods of Warren and a
Team Alex member since 2000.
"Avi was about to introduce a
new program featuring organic and
natural nuts, dried fruit, confec-
tions, snacks and grains," said his
wife, Beth, captain of Team Alex.
"He was having a hard time coming
up with a name." After some discus-
sion, followed by agreement from his
employer, it was decided to call them
Alex's Naturals in memory of Alex
Graham. The team also is named in
tribute to the young woman from
West Bloomfield who died of bone
cancer in 1999 at age 17.
The original 14 team members
raised $45,000 during their first
Snacking on page 20