Coal City Intermediate School marked 10 years of candy apple sales this fall and the top seller was the young girl who inspired it all.
Candy Apples for Kaysen was started by the school’s student council as a way to provide a little extra help to Kaysen VandeWerken and her family as she awaited a heart transplant when she was an infant.
The program was so popular, the school’s student council continued offering the caramel covered apples from Dan’s Homemade Candies each October and renamed the project, Candy Apples for Community. In addition to the traditional caramel apple or caramel apple with nuts, buyers can also select an apple with a chocolate covering that represents a ghost or pumpkin.
This year, Kaysen is a member of the school’s student council and has been given the title of candy apple queen as she sold over 300 to friends and family. In her role as student council member, she also helped organize and hand out the apples on distribution day, Oct. 26.
Each member of the student council had a role in making the event successful. First quarter student council members are: Kaysen, Aubrey Rhodes, Hazel D’Arcy, Danny Matsko, Emmalee Bye, Kaylee Veronda, Sadie Jones, Liam Barrus, Gray Wetenkamp, Mason Wren, Dante Morales, Danielle Bryant, Raelyn Aldridge, Jeremy Little, Morthisa Rutherford, Xavier Ramierz, Emma Hamilton, Grayson Bailey, Savanah Dick, Timmy Wegner, Corey Childress, Raegan Enerson, Brayden Brncich, and Bailey Gabehart
Student council sponsor Jenn Ness reports the proceeds go back to families in the community during times of need and this year was successful with over 1,500 apples sold.