Students at a Lexington school said they're raising money to fight a dangerous bacteria.
A third grade class at Trinity Christian Academy began the "Fight E. coli Club" after one of their own was hospitalized.
That student's name is Gracie Pittman. She's only 8, but has had leukemia for half her life.
She's currently in remission.
In September, though, she was at the University of Kentucky Children's Hospital for 25 days, battling E. coli.
It was then that her fellow students decided they wanted to help.
"I wanted to make sure that Gracie would come back soon," said Noah Tacthell, the student who began the club.
Tacthell and other students began raising money, hoping to help Gracie's family pay for her hospital bills...which the kids reasoned would then help the hospital be able to afford to help other E. coli patients.
The students brought in everything from their tooth fairy money and allowances, to money they'd earned by selling baked goods to neighbors.
"It made me feel sad that I can't see her or be with her, so I wanted to help," said another student, Lyndsay Tanaka.
Their teacher, Conni Hysong, encouraged her students, setting out a jar for them to drop money into.
That was mid-September.
"It was very exciting to keep track of what was going on," said Hysong.
By Thanksgiving, the kids raised $1600. They said they hope to raise $10,000 by the end of the year.
Gracie has since gone back to school, but the students continue to raise money to help pay her hospital bills.
And they said they want everyone to help.
"Anybody is invited to come. It's...it's for everybody. It's just to help raise money for our friend, Gracie," said student Lauren Thomas.
If you'd like to help raise money, you can visit the
Trinity Christian Academy website for more information.
