18 Dec
Students selling bracelets to support paralyzed former classmate
When a group of Elon University students were pressed to do a project for tiffany jewellery senior seminar, the answer was simple: “Botswana Lee.” One of their classmates, 21-year-old Lee Mynhardt, was paralyzed from the chest down in early February during a fight at an off-campus party and had to withdraw from school.
Mynhardt, from Botswana, was one semester away from graduating with a degree in business administration. He was known affectionately by his friends as “Botswana Lee.” His classmates decided they would collect donations from local businesses and from the community for their final project. The goal is help raise awareness for spinal cord injuries.
Elon University spokesman Dan Anderson said the students are selling rubber wrist bands for the fundraiser, called “Project Botswana.” Student Kevin Wellington said that all proceeds from the Botswana bracelets will aid Mynhardt and his family. The money will go toward his medical bills and his family’s housing costs.
“He is one of the nicest kids you’d ever meet,” Wellington said of Mynhardt. “He was always happy to see you.” “Even now he remains optimistic about everything.” Wellington hopes the fundraiser will draw awareness to the serious issue of spinal cord injuries. The students have been collecting money from a variety tiffany accessories of sources, Anderson said, and have organized on-campus booths and fundraisers throughout April.
LOCAL BUSINESSES HAVE also started chipping in to raise money for Mynhardt. On Thursday, 5 percent of all restaurant proceeds from Cantina Roble in Elon went to Project Botswana.
B. Christopher’s Restaurant, where Mynhardt worked as a bartender, will also be sponsoring a fundraiser for him next week.
The bracelets, which are being sold for $5 each, each read SCI (Spinal Cord Injury) Awareness.
They also are inscribed with “Cheers,” for the welcome that Mynhardt often used to greet both friends and strangers.
Last month, John Ferrell Cassady, 21, and Clinton Joseph Blackburn, 22, were indicted tffany keys on one count of felonious assault inflicting serious bodily injury. Cassady, an Elon student and Blackburn, a UNCG student, were arrested after turning themselves into the Elon Police Department.
Mynhardt is currently at the Carolina Rehab Center where he is in stable condition and undergoing treatment.
