The fairy grad-mothers

Thomas Donnell proudly holds his Purdue Boilermaker sign handmade by his Fairy Grad-Mother, Holli Clayton, as part of his senior care package. He was also nibbling on some Purdue-themed decorated sugar cookies.

Typically, West University Methodist Church holds an annual Senior Sunday to honor the graduating seniors. This year, due to the pandemic, the service took place virtually, but some members of the church went the extra mile to celebrate the Class of 2020. These “Fairy Grad-Mothers” – most of whom didn’t know the seniors beforehand – created individualized gift baskets filled with the seniors’ favorite goodies. Fairy Grad-Mothers who waved their magic wand for seniors included Josie Brown, Michele Carlin, Staci DeGregori, Tracy Everist, Sue Jensen, Dianne Lawter, Janet Lindley, Lynn McCarley, Lisa Smolen, Dolly Dawson Thomas, Dale Waller and Kim Weill. Honored seniors included Bayliss Baker, Ethan Dearborn, Grace and Davis Evans, Hayden Eversole, Thomas Fuller, Wilson Grant, Audrey Leonard, Cameron Moore, George Morstead, David Nunez, Abigail Shelby, Julia Toups and Drew Woodcox. Pictured is Thomas Donnell, a Strake Jesuit grad who’s off to Purdue University. He was thrilled to find a care package on his front porch courtesy of his Fairy Grad-Mother Holli Clayton. For more, search “The Fairy Grad-Mothers: Sprinkling a Dose of Magic on the Class of 2020” by Karen Vine Fuller. 

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