LES raises money for Mangus family after car crash

A very special presentation was made Friday morning during an assembly at Lovell Elementary School.

Reacting to the medical and financial needs of LES student Aavah Mangus resulting from a car crash in early January, the student council presented a check to Aavah and her mother, Amber, for $2,525, the proceeds from a school fundraising drive.

According to school officials, Amber and Aavah Mangus and Ben Snyder were returning from an appointment in Salt Lake on January 4 when they were involved in a head-on collision between Rock Springs and Farson. All three were seriously injured.

Aavah was flown back to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, and Amber and Ben were taken to the hospital in Rock Springs. Aavah’s dad, Brandon, was about 45 minutes ahead of them and was able to return to Salt Lake to be with Aavah.

The fundraising effort called Coins of Kindness raised $1,360 from gathering $70.55 in pennies, $107.10 in nickels, $250.10 in dimes, $457.25 in quarters and $475 in dollars.

Elementary Staff Jeans Week netted $940, and the high school Staff Jeans Week raised $225 for the grand total of $2,525.

Student council member Cinch Bischoff read a statement from LES principal Chris Jensen and the student council, stating in part, “Recently, the Mangus family had a car crash and had to spend an extended amount of time in the hospital. We as the student council and Lovell Elementary wanted to raise some money to help with doctor bills or other expenses that come with being in the hospital and away from home for a long time.”

After explaining and expressing thanks for the fundraising methods, Bischoff continued, “I would like to thank Jodi Baxendale and Aubry Walker (school secretaries) for taking charge of collecting and managing all of the money raised. We hope this will be of benefit to your family, and we are so excited to have Aavah back at school with all her friends.”