PHOTO COURTESY OF NANCY KREUGER

TY QUANDT, 11, WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NIEMANN-PICK TYPE C IN 2005. His elementary school is hosting its second annual dance to benefit research of the disease. This is a photo of Ty at last year’s event, which had a Jungle Boogie theme.

Mt. View to hold disco for research

By Meghan Erkkinen

Mt. View Elementary School in Edgewood is

inviting everyone to pull out the polyester for a night of dancing and fun. The proceeds of the Disco Fever event, to be held April 11, will go to benefit the National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation.

The inspiration for this event is fifth-grade student Ty Quandt, who suffers from the disease. Ty was diagnosed with Niemann-Pick Type C, an autosomal recessive disorder that causes lipid accumulation in the spleen, liver, lungs, bone marrow and brain, in 2005. There is currently no cure for the disease, but researchers are developing medicines to slow down its progression.

Last year, the school held a Jungle Boogie dance – because Ty’s favorite animal is the gorilla – to benefit research and raised $6,500. Organizers are hoping to raise even more this year.

“We wanted to do something to help with either the expenses at home or with research, but (Ty’s parents) Karen and Gene wanted us to help with the research,” said Nancy Kreuger, a paraeducator at the school, who is organizing much of the event.

Kreuger has known Ty for five years, since he began at Mt. View in first grade, a year before his diagnosis.

“He’s just got a lot of support from the kids here,” Kreuger said. “They have a lot of understanding of what he’s going through. It’s been a very good atmosphere for him. The kids just all love him and they all want to help.”

Matt O’Neill, a friend of Kreuger’s daughter, will DJ the event for the second year in a row. In addition to the dance, there will be food, drinks and about 100 gift baskets up for silent

auction.

“We’re getting a very good response locally and nationally,” Kreuger said. In January, she sent letters to about 180 businesses and people asking for

donations for the silent auctions. She has received hundreds of items in return, from autographed sports memorabilia to tickets and passes, golf packages to car detailing.

“We’re on track to beat last year’s (fundraised amount of $6,500). Anything above that would be great, so we’re hoping to beat that goal,” said Karen Quandt, Ty’s mother, who has been helping collect donations for the silent auction. “Most of the businesses in Milton, Edgewood, Puyallup and Sumner have been supportive.”

Even the school’s staff members have gotten involved, either by putting together a basket or donating a “take a student to lunch” opportunity.

Everything at the event, including the DJ services, food, decorations and silent auction items, were

donated.

“The more I asked, the more people gave,” Kreuger said.

The Disco Fever event will take place April 11 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Mt. View Elementary School. The cost of admission is $1.

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