Unyts Blog

The Alden High School family experienced a tragedy last fall when one of our most popular teachers lost her 21 year old son in a car accident.  Since that time Mrs. Lori Gramza and her family have been working tirelessly to raise awareness of organ, tissue and blood donation.  This year she teamed up with Alden’s Donate Life Club to continue that mission.  The following paragraph provides some history and an invitation to all area Donate Life Clubs.

On October 20, 2010, Alden graduate, Andrew Dale Gramza was in a car accident on the Thruway.  His car collided with a tree and burst into flames.  Five Gowanda Correctional Officers and a young lady named Stacy Dierolf stopped to assist at the scene.  While Stacy held Andrew’s hand, the correctional officers successfully pulled Andrew from the burning wreckage and called for emergency assistance. He was in the trauma unit at ECMC for two weeks before he died from his injuries.

Andrew’s family was fortunate enough to be able to donate his heart valves through Unyts.  His family had a blood drive/basket raffle last June for Donate Life.  They collected over $6,000 for organ transplantation and 124 units of blood.

Andrew’s niece Mariah is a member of Alden High School’s Donate Life Club.  She is hosting a dance in his memory to raise money for Unyts.  All Donate Life Clubs in the area are invited to attend this dance at Alden High School on March 3, 2012 from 7:30-10:30.  The theme of this semi-formal dance is Light Up the Night.   The cost is $10 per person and includes refreshments, free photo booth and music by Toy Bros.

One hundred percent of the proceeds are being donated to Unyts in memory of Andrew Gramza.  Funds raised at the dance totaled $2100.00.  Refreshments were homemade by extended members of the Gramza family, the DJ and photo booth were donated by Mr. and Mrs. Dale Gramza and Mr. and Mrs. Lee Weisbeck.  Over 200 glow sticks were distributed by Donate Life Club members to all attendees during a special tribute to Andrew during the Bruno Mars song, Sky Full of Lighters.  Glow sticks were generously donated by the Gramza family.  The dance was an extremely successful joint effort between the Donate Life Club and the Gramza family.  We hope to make it an annual fundraising event for Unyts.