SELINSGROVE — They walked in pairs, three abreast, alone, and in bunches, swinging arms or pushing baby strollers.
"Team Up for Alex and Seth" was written on their T-shirts.
About 500 people turned out Friday for a walk-a-thon benefit for Alexandra Mullen and Seth Lauver, Selinsgrove High School juniors who were seriously injured on their prom night three weeks ago.
At least 100 teams signed up to march, with four to six members, said organizer Cathy Keiser. Each team paid $100 and could walk together or in shifts, from 6 p.m. to midnight.
All proceeds will go toward the 17-year-olds' medical bills, said Keiser.
Plenty of family, friends
The oval, multi-laned track at the Selingsgrove stadium was peppered with walkers as Desiree Feese, of Sunbury, and Melissa Hornberger, of Middleberg, sat in the stands, getting ready to relieve Feese's daughter, Kaitlin Clark, and her friend, Chelsea Weir, both rising ninth-graders, after 30 minutes of walking.
In another section of the stands, a cluster of Lauver's aunts and uncles, and his grandmother, gathered around a cell phone picture of Seth standing — with help — at a spinal cord rehabilitation center in Philadelphia. The picture was sent by Seth's dad, Chuck Lauver.
Seth's uncle, Todd Snyder, said he talked to Seth on the phone.
"I told him if he comes home an Eagles fan I'm going to disown him," Snyder said. "He chuckled at that."
Conditions uncertain
Lauver's future use of his legs has no certain prognosis.
A standout high school football player, Lauver was apparently aware Friday of the outpouring of community support on the track at his school, and on the sidelines in all manner of ways — basket raffles, T-shirt sales, a volleyball tournament, music and food concession.
Alexandra Mullen, however, remained unconscious at Geisinger Medical Center. She was listed in serious condition late Friday, the condition she had been upgraded to only recently.
Mullen's parents and sister were at the event, but declined to comment. They exchanged emotional hugs with friends.
"The support of the community is awesome," Snyder said. "The outpouring from the community to the family has been astronomical."
"It's amazing how many people are here," said Lauver's aunt, Karen Snyder.
Underlying concern
Although smiles and good cheer were in abundant supply, some faces masked the tragic underlying reason for the gathering.
As many others before her, Renee Pehowic, of Sunbury, brought a donation to the organizer's table. She couldn't help but think of her 16-year-old daughter, who just
got her learner's permit to drive.
She said she thinks the six-month permit isn't long enough and thinks driver education should be required in high schools like it used to be.
Kids get their driving education from their parents now, she said, but a required course might make them take note of more of the important safety information.
There isn't a high school in the area that hasn't been touched recently by a student traffic fatality or serious injury, and it's all too common, she agreed.
Hope, Todd Snyder said, is the Lauver family's by-word.
"Seth is improving faster than expected," said Stephanie Feaster, who is his dad's
cousin.
"Seth is a fighter. His family is a fighter and we'll fight through this," Snyder said.
Gridiron support
Chad Snyder, another one of Seth's uncles, said he was impressed by the Danville High School football squad's appearance.
"That shows a lot of character," he said.
Danville squad member Jeff Ross said 13 of them came, "to support Seth and make sure he knows we're here for him."
"Everyone's a brother on the field," Ironman Nick LeVan said.
Ross said they know Lauver is a strong competitor and feel certain he will keep fighting.
Behind the scenes
Keiser said she won't know until tomorrow or later how much money was raised and will have a better idea of how many people participated later.
A fund has been set up for Mullen and Lauver at Swineford National Bank, and the money will be divided equally for their medical care.
The idea for the walk-a-thon was hers.
Keiser said she knows both Seth and Alex. She teaches physical education at the middle school and got to know Alex in class and later as a member of the field hockey team. She got to know Seth, she said, because her sons played on Little League teams with him and he lives in their neighborhood of Winfield.
So the injured youngsters were on her mind, she said, "when in the middle of the night it (the idea of a walk-a-thon) just came to me" two weeks ago.
She asked the school district if they approved and they did, she said. Next thing she knew, lots of people were pitching in to help.
That was good, because she knew it had to be accomplished in two weeks, before everyone left for summer vacations.
The lacrosse team arranged the basket raffle, while Mary Markle, of Susquehanna University, took charge of bringing in entertainment.
"People just called and said 'What can I do?'" Keiser said. "And it just worked out."
n E-mail comments to dpetryk@dailyitem.com
