Holly Students and Community Members surprise Prairie Student with Donation Check

Holly senior Bailey Kennedy shakes hands with Prairie’s Zacc Winn before tipoff of the State quarterfinals.

The state basketball tournament was a major highlight of this academic year. The entire community came together to celebrate the accomplishments of the boys’ basketball team.  As part of the state tournament, another thing brought Holly together—Zacc Winn.

Prairie High School’s Zacc Winn is seen in a picture shaking Holly senior Bailey Kennedy’s hand prior to tipoff of the first round game at the Budweiser Event Center in Loveland.  The game happened and the Wildcats advanced.  Little did anyone know at the time that game would be a rallying cry for Holly students and fans.  It only took a few days after winning the state championship that Holly would get behind this student athlete no one from Holly knew.

Through a Facebook post, Holly English teacher Aaron Leiker became aware of Winn’s battle with a liver disease.  Leiker used the Sports Booster Club’s facebook page to post about Winn.  That post led Holly’s Janene Turner to create a GoFundMe page to support Zacc’s medical expenses.  Holly student-athletes and community members to begin donating to Zacc.  At Holly’s State Championship rally, the community donated nearly $500.  With donations from Holly, New Raymer, and places as far as the Great Britian, the GoFundMe page raised $9,150.

In April, Holly basketball head coach Dusty Heck was contacted by Prairie’s head coach Amber Whitlock asking that representatives of Holly surprise the Prairie High School communities to present the check to Winn and his family.  On May 19, several representatives of the school as well as Janene and Tyler Turner made the four-hour journey north to make the presentation during the school’s athletic awards banquet.

Coach Dusty Heck, Janene Turner, Tyler Turner, Zacc Winn, Casey Fletcher, Aaron Leiker, Tack Neugebauer, and Yaniel Vidal during the GoFundMe check presentation at Prairie High School on May 19.

During the presentation, Whitlock brought Winn on stage honoring him for his incredible determination as he battled Primary Sclerosing Choangitis and needing a new liver.  He made several trips to Children’s Hospital during the basketball season including a trip immediately following the game against Holly.

Whitlock then began talking about the GoFundMe donations and the Holly community.  At that point, everyone from Holly began walking out from behind the curtain.  The crowd was surprised and began to look towards the check.  It is at that point that Zacc turned around and saw the check and the Holly contingent.

At the banquet, Zacc’s family made their appreciation known to everyone from Holly.  Many patrons of Prairie Schools wanted to say thank you to the entire Holly community as well for the support of a player that no one from Holly knew just a few months ago.

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Courtesy Photos