Burrell High School staff gets wet for a good cause

Rain wasn’t in Tuesday’s weather forecast, but it certainly was pouring for some Burrell High School staff.

Burrell’s unified bocce team held a “rain rally” Tuesday, where Principal John Boylan and a few teachers got soaked by Lower Burrell Fire Co. 3’s truck hose as a fundraiser for the team.

The rain rally is a spin-off of Special Olympics’ Polar Plunge, which aims to raise money for the organization.

Participants got a break with the weather — in the 40s instead of more winter-like temperatures. Still, that didn’t make the water any warmer.

“It’s for a good cause, and fun,” Boylan said.

Thursday’s event raised a little more than $100 for the team, which has eight special needs students and eight “partners,” or general education students, said Chelsey Kriley, coach and life skills teacher.

Burrell’s bocce team created a “money war” over the past few weeks among four teachers and Boylan, and the person that earned the most money ran through the rain.

Participating teachers included Kriley, Caitlin Lauer, Jeremy Grow, Mary Rae O’Toole and Joshua Leghart. Deputy Fire Chief Scott Gloer positioned the hose for the water to fall like rain on the school staff.

The bocce team had a tournament this past weekend, and their official season kicks off in January, Kriley said.

The competitions are uplifting to watch, she said.

“Everyone claps for everybody, no matter what team you’re on,” said Sara Schwartz, a speech therapist at Burrell and a co-coach of the team.

The students also build friendships and a sense of belonging with each other, Kriley said.

“You can see the inclusion really coming together,” she said.