Fundraising efforts aren’t uncommon in local schools. But rarely does a large swath of the state band together behind one family.
Almost 70 schools across Montana, including a handful in the Billings area, are raising money for the family of Finnley Foster, 14-month-old who has a rare immune system condition.
Her story came to the attention of Conrad High School Principal Ken Larson, who was an acquaintance of her father, Pat Foster. Foster lives in Havre with girlfriend Katie Whitmore, Finnley’s mother, and works as a basketball referee. Larson ran into him at a Class B divisional tournament in Malta.
“It just planted a seed there,” Larson said. “This is a chance for schools to help.”
He emailed superintendents and principals across the state.
“Every corner of the state was saying, we’re in,” Larson said.
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Finnley Foster began having health problems when she was a few months old; as they compounded, doctors failed to discover a root cause. Eventually she was diagnosed with severe combined immunodeficiency, but further testing is still needed to pin down which of several types of the condition she has.
“Right now she basically doesn’t have any immunity,” said Pat Foster. The family has its third trip to Seattle planned in May, hoping to get some firm answers.
So far, about $9,000 has been raised to help the family with medical and travel costs, Larson said, with more schools slated to send money in.
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Several schools in Billings and Lockwood have adopted Larson’s original fundraising idea, hat day. Students pay a dollar to wear a hat on Friday, and additional donations can be chipped in.
Newman and Ponderosa elementary schools in particular have embraced the idea, challenging each other to raise more money. On Friday, Ponderosa won, raising more than $300, and sent Newman a box of tissues for good measure.
But that didn’t dampen Newman students’ enthusiasm.
“It’s really exciting to me that we’re going to help this family with their daughter,” said fourth-grader Emilee Septer, who was sporting a pink sun hat.
Fifth-grader Armand Fair explained severe combined immunodeficiency, a serious topic that contrasted with his propeller-topped hat.
“It feels good to wear a hat too,” he said.
Foster expressed his gratitude during a phone interview where Finnley could be heard in the background.
“It’s very humbling, very overwhelming,” Foster said of the donations. “To me, it just the Montana style. Somebody’s in need, everybody just jumps in and helps out.”
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