Ohio School Dance Raises Funds for Evelyn's Legacy

When three teachers at Woodlands Elementary School in Huron, Ohio, planned a simple glow dance, they had no idea their small effort would transform into a community-wide celebration of hope and healing.

The "Light Up the Night" event packed the school gym with excited students across two sessions, one for preK-2 and another for grades 3-5. A vibrant, light-up dance floor from Rock and Roll Express Entertainment kept kids moving all night long.

But what started as just fun quickly became something much bigger. Local businesses donated funds to launch the event, while National Honor Society students volunteered to run glow-in-the-dark face painting, glitter tattoos, a graffiti wall, and photo booth stations.

The All For Evelyn Foundation donated more than 1,000 light-up items for students to enjoy. Jim's Pizza Box and Domino's contributed pizza, local families brought baked goods and water, and parent Kevin McGraw, who also serves as Huron's fire chief, volunteered as DJ for the evening.

Every dollar raised went to the All For Evelyn Foundation, established in 2023 after the unexpected passing of 6-year-old Evelyn Bauer from sepsis. Evelyn, a kindergartner known for her constant smile, left behind a family determined to help others facing sudden medical crises.

The foundation now provides care kits to parents experiencing unexpected hospital stays with their children. Each kit contains essential items like toiletries and comfort supplies, the small necessities that become impossible to think about when your world stops.

The Ripple Effect

Evelyn's parents and siblings attended the dance, watching the community rally around their daughter's memory. What began as one family's grief has grown into a network of support touching families across the region.

The foundation's care kits arrive precisely when parents need them most, during those first confusing hours in a hospital when nothing makes sense except staying with your child. Each kit carries Evelyn's smile forward, turning her brief life into an ongoing source of comfort.

Now, every glow stick waved at the Woodlands dance represents another family who won't face their hardest moment alone.