Stevenson High hopes charity event nets second Guinness record
For the second straight year, Stevenson High School students and staffers believe an activity connected with the annual Spirit Fest fundraiser has set a world record.
An estimated 826 people took to the Stevenson High football field on Saturday night with luminescent tubes to form what organizers think is the world's largest glow stick design.
The previous record of 308 people was set in Canada earlier this year, officials with the Lincolnshire school have said.
They also raised $15,000 to $20,000 for CASA Lake County, which stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. The nonprofit group helps abused and neglected children within the juvenile court system.
An exact fundraising total won't be available until later this week, officials said.
"The Stevenson community never ceases to amaze in its generosity," school spokesman Jim Conrey said in an email. "The economy is in the tank, people are worried about making ends meet, and still we had about 1,300 folks come out and help us raise between $15,000 and $20,000 for a worthy cause."
Last year, the Stevenson community united to perform the world's largest robot dance, with 525 people taking part. The Guinness World Record organization confirmed the record this past May after an extensive verification process that included photographs and registration forms.
Proof of the record can be found online at guinnessworldrecords.com/records-5000/largest-robot-dance.
The 2010 Spirit Fest raised $20,000 for the Saving Tiny Hearts Society, a group that helps fund research into congenital heart defects.
As fun as setting world records may be, Conrey doesn't want people to lose sight of the charitable work Spirit Fest accomplishes and the groups the event helps.
"A lot of people will focus on the world record, but the real story is that we're helping abused and neglected children get a fair shake in the court system through CASA Lake County," Conrey said. "Helping one kid avoid having his life go off the rails through no fault of his own is worth more than a million Guinness world records."