Holiday Bison Boutique Kickoff
Behind the scenes of how the Bison Boutique started and how the proceeds are helping a family in need
Buffalo National Honor Society and Work Experience classes partnered to put together the “Holiday Bison Boutique” through December 20-22. The goal of this fundraiser is to earn money for Buffalo history teacher and coach Mike Curry and his family.
Back in early November, Curry was diagnosed with a severe case of COVID-19. He was diagnosed with COVID pneumonia, which left him hospitalized and reliant on oxygen. After a couple of tough weeks, Curry has been making a slow but steady recovery.
Buffalo’s NHS and Work Experience Classes set out a table in the lunch room containing magnets, homemade soaps, hot chocolate supplies, bath salts, and more all available for students and staff to buy. All proceeds go to Mr. Curry and his family.
“He [Curry] was really open with us, and talked about how frustrating COVID-19 was,” said Curry’s student Junior Grace Fladung.
“He’s such a great teacher. I hope everyone gets the chance to meet him and get to know him,” Junior Kenzie Donovan said.
Anita Trutwin teaches the Work Experience class and helps her students gain work experience. These students, along with Trutwin, started the boutique.
“I was looking for an entrepreneurship opportunity last year so we put it into work experiences in the community during COVID,” Trutwin said. “This simply became an opportunity where we could practice basic job skills, but it has grown into a community involvement activity where people support what we’re doing. Our students get to expand their base of job skills into problem solving and leadership.”
The students in her class sparked the idea to help Mr. Curry’s family.
“It wasn’t my idea,” Trutwin said. “The students came up with the idea that when we were brainstorming what we can do now with basic soap making. We focused on where to take this idea next and broaden the basic skills we’re learning into something that supports our community.”
Curry is planning to be back at the beginning of next semester in late January after he makes a full recovery.
