Fundraiser to support local family supported by NH students; Butterfly movement takes flight

On Saturday, April 10, senior Malinah Jerscheid helped to coordinate a fundraiser, Boots Out For The Butterfly, which supported a member of the NH community who is battling cancer.

     Jerscheid, Harford County Farm Bureau Ag Ambassador, said, “The Boots Out for Butterfly movement began when Leila Roland, a 6-year-old dairy farm daughter, was diagnosed with kidney cancer. She wore her barn boots to the hospital the day she went in and received her diagnosis. Her mother, Amy, posted these boots with the caption “these boots don’t belong here.”

     Prior to her diagnosis, Amy was conservative about her child’s identity on social media, calling her “butterfly” whenever she referred to her. Following that initial post, people began to start the #BootsforButterfly trend, where they posted their own boots in the fields of their pastures, all waiting for Leila to come home from the hospital and beat cancer.

     The hashtag was started with a picture of two lambs and a pair of boots. The post was made by Robin Corzatt, a North Harford alumna. Corzatt has been friends with Leila’s mom, Amy, since they were in second grade and through 4-H.

       Corzatt says, “after seeing Amy’s first post about Leila being in the hospital my heart sank. My best friend’s little girl has the “C” word!  I knew I needed to do something to be there for her.   

     After calling her sister Missy, they came up with an idea to create the hashtag #bootsforthebutterfly.” 

      The Boots for the Butterfly event was open to anybody in the community and only asked for a donation towards Butterfly’s treatment as an entry. The event included vendors like Hilbetty Bliss selling butterfly shirts and an open boutique trailer, Baby G’s Place with butterfly magnets, a selfie kiosk, The Harford County Master Gardeners with a bluebird nest box raffle, butterfly face painting by North Harford High School Advanced Art Students, Harford County 4-H with outdoor activities, story time by North Harford FFA, Brooms Bloom Ice cream sold by NHHS Journalism Staff, butterfly scrapbook making courtesy of the NHHS Yearbook staff, and live music by the Mayo Family Band.

     Jerscheid has known the Vaughn family “since I first met Amy because she is a North Harford FFA Alumni Association’s Treasurer. Later, I started volunteering with Amy at The Farmyard in Parkton, teaching youth agriculture classes.

     Jerscheid talks about her experience creating the event saying, “I worked with her a lot on making different connections between the high school chapter and community.”