Project Graduation’s annual Chicken Dinner Fundraiser began in September 2023 and will take place until Feb. 10, 2024.
Project Graduation is an event held in many high schools around the country. The goal is to fund a safe, alcohol-free night for graduating seniors. During the celebration, there are various games, activities and prizes.
“It is a big event for the seniors to celebrate their graduation without going out and getting involved in risky behaviors or something that leads to them getting hurt,” Paige Groesbeck, senior, said. “It creates a safe environment for us to still have a lot of fun to celebrate our graduation with all the people we met in school over the past years and create memories with them before we all leave.”
In order to fund this event, chicken dinners are being sold for $15. Purchases can be made on GoFan. You can also buy a chicken dinner by filling out the form in the main office and returning it with an attached form of payment. Chicken dinner tickets will also be sold at home sports games, the Jupiter Jubilee and other school events.
“Our goal is to sell at least 750 chicken dinners,” Tracy Gulick, President of the Parent Volunteer Committee, said. “If we reach that goal, that would be over $11,000.”
The Parent Volunteer Committee is partnering with Reign Prom Boutique, located on US-1, Jupiter, Fla., to benefit JHS seniors and bring attention to a new local business.
“If a student buys a chicken dinner, they can bring their GoFan receipt/ticket and show it to the store and they will get $15 off a prom dress and Reign will donate $15 to Project Graduation,” Suzanne Rothman, Chair of Chicken Dinner Fundraiser, said.
Students can earn community service hours for selling chicken dinner tickets.
“If every student sold at least one chicken dinner, that would be over 3,000 chicken dinners and more than $45,000 to support Project Graduation and the JHS Seniors,” Gulick said.
Each chicken dinner includes half a BBQ chicken, baked beans and potato salad cooked by the Masons of the Jupiter Light Lodge. The dinners also include assorted baked goods donated by Publix.
“They have large grills and a commercial kitchen onsite where they spend all day preparing the meals,” Rothman said.
The dinners will be available for pick up or dine in on Sunday, Feb. 25 between 12-5 p.m. Any meal not picked up will be donated to members of the community and first responders.
“My family bought chicken dinners every year I was at Jupiter High,” Kierstyn Fisher, Jupiter High alumni, said. “We’ve never actually eaten them, rather donated them instead since last year all unclaimed dinners were donated to the Edna Runner center.”
