Oswego High School senior Lane Barry is selling “Thoughts From Lane” T-shirts, in support of a local family in need. The clothing went on sale Feb. 1, sporting the title of Barry’s motivational Instagram account, and can be purchased through Feb. 12 for $20.
“Thoughts from Lane” keeps Barry’s followers motivated and uplifted, sharing quotes that inspire people to keep going day-by-day. Her efforts to spread positivity was originally featured on 42Fifty in Oct. 2018, and now Barry is continuing to take action.
Barry will be donating a portion of the profit to “Karing for the Kow’s,” an organization in support of the Kowalczyk family. OHS librarian Mrs. Lisa Kowalczyk’s husband Scott had been battling against Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL) for several years, prior to his bone-marrow transplant back in September 2018. After getting cleared from the hospital, Mr. Kowalczyk was told he would need to stay for a minimum of 100 days at a 24-hour care hotel, in order to avoid the return of infection. The cost of the hotel bill is not going to be cheap, so Barry is doing all she can in order to help reduce the cost.
After hearing about the financial struggles the Kowalczyk family has been going through, it was Barry’s natural instinct to do something about it.
“I feel like [Mrs. Kowalczyk] has been such a good human to anyone that has walked in to [the library] and the fact that [her and her family] have been going through a tough time really made me want to help out,” Barry said.
Although “Thoughts From Lane” is continuing to grow through Barry’s efforts, she wants people to know this is all for the Kowalczyks, not for her account.
“I really do want to make a profit to donate to the family because they are going through a really tough time,” Barry says. “I could never imagine having to go through [what they’re going through.]”
Barry’s shirts are yellow, and will have a front pocket with the text “TFL” (Thoughts From Lane). On the back, one of her favorite quotes is printed: “When you can’t find the sunshine, be the sunshine.”
Aside from the T-shirts, the Kowalczyk’s have also set up a GoFundMe page, and have already raised more than half of their $10,000 goal in just four months, with Barry hoping to add to that.
If you are interested in helping out the Kowalczyk family, contact Lane Barry (@dancerlane14) or Kylie Flynn (@kylieashf) on Twitter for more details.
I’m Dylan Jahnke, and this is my second year with 42Fifty, which I first joined as a staff member. I am a senior at Oswego High School, and I plan to study mass communications/music management in college. I hope to one day have my own radio talk show or get into artist management. If I’m not writing or editing for 42Fifty, I’m either working at Culver’s, hanging out with friends and family, or doing homework. I am humbled to say I began my 42Fifty career my junior year as a staff writer, then Arts & Entertainment editor first semester of my senior year and now Editor-in-Chief.
