TCHS students jump rope for a cause

TIFTON -- Tift County High School seniors, faculty, staff and their families raised over $3,000 for a teacher who is terminally ill with cancer Friday in a jump rope marathon held at the school.

"The students, they are experiencing real life goodwill and public relations," said Mike Beeman, a TCHS marketing instructor. "They are doing something good and they can feel good about themselves."

Kim Cobb, a 10th and 12th grade English teacher at the school, was diagnosed with leukemia a year-and-a-half ago.

"I had her class in the 10th grade," said TCHS Senior Ashli Garrick.

"Ms. Cobb is really a good teacher and she cared about all of her students and she took time out of her life to make sure that we did what needed to be done."

Garrick said she had personally raised over $80 for the project.

Cammie Lund, a TCHS technology instructor, was diagnosed with breast cancer at about the same time Cobb learned she had leukemia. Lund said she and Cobb benefited from fund-raisers after their diagnoses. Lund's cancer is in remission.

"She (Cobb) is at the Grand Canyon right now," Lund said. "It is something she has always wanted to do, to take her boys there."

The money raised at TCHS Thursday will help Cobb defray the cost of the trip and pay some medical bills, Lund said.

"It is an issue close to my heart," Lund said. "I wanted to give back.

Beeman said teen-agers don't often get recognition for doing good deeds, but all the credit for concern for what has been done to benefit both teachers should go to them.

"It's often that we read about them doing vandalism or something," Beeman said. "Students in my marketing classes got behind it and the community gravitated toward it.

"The students have done everything from blowing up the balloons to serving the refreshments and Ms. Cobb was able to go on a trip of a lifetime with her family."