Seekonk’s Hurley Middle School Raises Money for Dana Farber Cancer Institute

Seekonk -- Superintendent Rich Drolet and Principal Alexis Bouchard are pleased to share that the Hurley Middle School has raised $815 through numerous fundraising efforts for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

To raise money for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Hurley Middle School hosted three events: its Pink Out Day, Hat Day and annual Thanksgiving Dunking Fundraiser.

Pink Out Day, which was held on Oct. 28, is dedicated to raising breast cancer awareness. On this day, students and staff had the opportunity to purchase and wear pink ribbons in honor of someone who has/had breast cancer. On Nov. 18, Hat Day was also held in which students could pay a dollar to wear a hat for the entire school day.

All the money raised from these two fundraisers was added to the school's Dana Farber donation.

Fundraising efforts culminated with Hurley Middle School's annual Thanksgiving Dunking Fundraiser that was held on Nov. 23, 2022. Prior to this event, students had the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets that cost 25 cents to dunk a teacher or 50 cents to dunk an administrator. Raffle tickets that were purchased were then entered into a drawing for the opportunity for students to dunk a teacher or administrator.

This annual fundraiser began in the early 1990s under Dr. Kevin Hurley's leadership at the Seekonk Intermediate School with the goal of raising money for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Over the course of the next several years, the fundraiser continued as Dr. Hurley battled cancer himself. After Dr. Hurley’s passing in 2004, the Intermediate School was renamed the Dr. Kevin M. Hurley Middle School, and then Assistant Principal Alan “Thiv” Thivierge took over the coordination of the fundraiser.

Thivierge, who also battled cancer, continued to donate the proceeds from the fundraiser to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. When Thivierge passed away in 2009, his daughter Keri Thivierge, who is now a teacher at the Hurley Middle School, continued the tradition in Hurley and Thivierge’s memory.

Thivierge estimates about $10,000 has been raised and donated by Seekonk staff and students at Hurley Middle School to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute since the dunking event began about fifteen years ago. Donations are now made in honor of Dr. Hurley and Assistant Principal Thivierge.

"I would like to thank Keri Thivierge for coordinating this fundraiser, Principal Bouchard and Assistant Principal Matthew Maré for supporting it, and all staff dunking participants for being such good sports about getting dunked," said Superintendent Drolet. "Besides the staff who volunteered to graciously get dunked, I would also like to thank all of our Hurley Middle School students who purchased tickets to get a chance to dunk staff for a good cause. Our fond and unforgettable memory of Mr. Alan Thivierge and Dr. Kevin Hurley lives on. I am so appreciative of Mrs. Thivierge for leading this fundraiser, as well as everyone for coming together to make it work, year after year."