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the Homer Horizon | December 15, 2016 | 7
Schilling School Buddy Bench honors third-grader
Erin Redmond
Assistant Editor
Tristan Grabner’s time
may have been short, but his
legacy will stand the test of
time.
On Dec. 2, a bright blue
bench bearing the name of
“Tristan’s Buddy Bench”
was unveiled on the playground
of Schilling School
in honor of the third-grader
who died overnight Sept. 6.
The bench, Schilling School
principal Candis Gasa said,
is a testament to the 8-yearold’s
larger than life personality.
“We’ve been trying to do
something that’s very personal
to him and to who he
was,” Gasa said. “We want to
continue his spirit here, and
we felt the Buddy Bench was
perfect, considering who he
was to the students and how
many lives he touched of the
staff.”
It was an emotional ceremony
for Grabner’s parents,
Nicole Bolda and her
husband, Jim Grabner, in
attendance with their 2-yearold
daughter, Aubrey. Bolda
The family of Tristan Grabner, who died in September and
was a third-grader at Schilling, attend a ceremony and
Buddy Bench dedication in his memory.
fought back tears while unveiling
the bench to the entire
Schilling School student
body. It is painted in a shade
of Chicago Cubs’ blue — her
son’s favorite team.
The Schilling School students
gasped in delight at
their new playground fixture.
It will serve as a place for
them to go when they are in
need of a buddy.
“When you’re outside here
at recess, and you feel like
you need a friend, come sit
on the Buddy Bench,” Gasa
told the students. “And those
of you who see a friend sitting
at the Buddy Bench,
please join that friend. We all
want to be an amazing friend,
just like Tristan was.”
Tristan’s classmates from
Tasha Ohotzke’s class sang
a song in his honor titled
“T.R.I.S.T.A.N” that spoke
of “his smiling face” and
special friendship. It was too
much for Bolda, who was
overcome with emotion as
the students started singing.
“It was amazing; it’s really
Schilling School students admire “Tristan’s Buddy Bench,” which was unveiled during a
Dec. 2 ceremony at the school. Photos by Erin Redmond/22nd Century Media
overwhelming what the community
is doing and what the
kids have done and the teachers,”
Tristan’s mother said.
“Love isn’t even the word
[for how I feel]; Schilling is
just amazing.”
The Schilling School students
have memorialized
Tristian previously by planting
tulips around the school
and by tying red- and bluecolored
ribbons to trees, light
poles and on the school’s
doors. His desk in Ohotzke’s
classroom has also been preserved
and serves as a place
for his classmates to sit when
they are in need of comfort.
Before concluding the ceremony,
Gasa gave Tristan’s
family one final gift: a check
for more than $1,600 for
their family fund. The money
was raised by the Schilling
community, the Homer 33C
Board of Education and the
Butler Parent Teacher Organization,
among others.
“I hope that this will remind
you that you will always
be a part of our Schilling
family,” Gasa said to the
Grabners before giving them
both a long, heartfelt hug.
HEROES
From Page 3
stan.
“It’s very humbling,” Andrea
said. “It’s definitely
changed our lives after what
happened to Tony, his injury,
but I’ve come to feel
pleasantly overwhelmed
with the support that we
feel from our community,
from everyone. It makes it
manageable.
“I’m sure everybody can
relate with how Christmas
can be a very expensive
time. We are very grateful
for this.”
Lockport VFW Post 5788
Auxiliary President Karen
Szynkowski said the event
was made possible thanks
to a $3,000 corporate donation
from Meijer and a lot
of coordination between the
store, the VFW and the Will
County Veterans Assistance
Commission.
But Ernest Errico, commander
of VFW Post 5788,
said the officers and firefighters
who came out to
help deserved the biggest
thanks of all for not only
giving their time for the
event but what they give on
a daily basis.
“[Police and firefighters]
give their lives everyday,
and veterans — whether you
served four years or 20 —
gave their lives, too,” Errico
said. “Even when you come
back, you continue to serve
every day.
“This is what the VFW is
supposed to be doing ... All
VFWs, all Meijers should
do this — it’s wonderful.”
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