The homeroom’s participating have to try and “win” the challenge by having the most positive number when all the silver/dollars they collect are subtracted from the pennies collected. 

 

This year, the seventh graders collected money for one week and announced the winner at the talent show last Friday. Ms. Jenn Feierabend's Jumpstart group won and so all the money that was collected — just shy of $1,400 — will be sent to the Sandy Lundberg Benefit Fund. 

 

Sandy was a band director in Becker and the middle and high school level for 19 years before moving to Arizona where she most recently was the principal of Casteel High School. She was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer this fall and has been unable to work. 

 

Sandy’s very good friend, Sandy Forster established a funding page for Lundberg through GoFundMe. The two Sandys have known each other for over 31 years.

 

“We hit it off right away,” said Forster. “Over the years we coached volleyball together and served for our Becker BEA union. She was the president and I was the secretary.”  

 

Outside of school, the good friends spent time lots of time together. 

 

“Sandy and her husband, Bill, were in a band,” Forster said. “I often traveled to watch them gig. We were a part of each other’s weddings and shared good times and bad times.”

 

The following is an excerpt from her GoFundMe page that chronicles her fight.

 

Labor Day weekend of 2017 seemed like an ordinary weekend to Lundberg.  Being in her 50’s, she knew she would start to feel tired as she got older.  However on that fateful day in September, Lundberg, age 52,  felt there was something more sinister happening.

 

That Fri., Sept. 8, Sandy went to a chiropractor due to some hip pain that was shooting pain down her leg.  After an x-ray, she was advised to see her family physician.  

 

By Mon., Sept. 11, the pain was severe.  She squabbled with her doctor’s office and finally convinced a physician to see her on  that Wednesday. After many tests, the news was given to her.  She had  Stage-4 cancer.

 

When she received the dreadful news that she had cancer, she did not ask, "Why me?"  She simply stated, "God must have a plan!" She did not view it as a worry. She viewed it as another obstacle she would overcome.

 

“The hard part is you don’t know how people are going to respond with the diagnosis of Stage 4 cancer,” Lundberg said. “Once upon a time, that used to be very negative, and with all the advancements in medicine, it’s not like it used to be.

 

“So my biggest worry was I didn’t want people to be, ‘Oh my gosh, oh poor Sandy.’ Nothing like that.  It’s just a hurdle we got to get through. We can do this, we can beat this. It’s a challenge that we have to work on.”

 

The Becker seventh graders rallied behind this woman they have never met and got the chance to Facetime with Sandy at lunch Friday to see/meet her for the first time. 

 

“It was tremendous to deliver such joy to a woman who continues to inspire so many with her positivity and bravery in the face of grim odds,” said Feierabend.

 

“Sandy is so passionate about life and that shows in her teaching/leadership,” says Forster. “Whether it was conducting the Becker Bands (as Ma. Perron and later as Mrs. Lundberg), or telling stories about her dog Spike (now it is Jack), her connections with kids was/is genuine.  She believes in making differences for others.” 

 

Sandy’s GoFundMe page can be found at the following website: www.gofundme.com/sandy-lundberg039s-fight.

 

Currently, Lundberg is on medical leave of absence.

 

“Her spirits are high,” says Forster. “She is very hopeful and positive. She is hoping to be back at the helm of Casteel High School by next school year.”