Friends plan event in Kalagher's memory
A group of students, parents remember the 16-year-old this May
By Caitlyn Kelleher JOURNAL REPORTER

Jordyn Kalagher

A group of friends of the late Jordyn Kalagher have decided to work with their mothers to organize a Jordyn Kalagher Day this coming May.

The group of 12 is planning on holding a series of seven-on-seven field hockey games to raise money for a scholarship being set up in Kalagher's name at Oakmont Regional High School. The field hockey benefit will be played by a variety of area high-school teams, alongside a kids' game area, a raffle, an auction and food.

"They did want to something this year because Jordyn was friends with a lot of seniors," said Paula Blanchette.

Kalagher died on Dec. after a single-car accident earlier on her way to work at a grocery store in New Hampshire. Police believe the car skidded on ice or snow, causing the 16-year-old high school junior to lose control of the car.

The event will be held on Saturday, May 10, at the Oakmont Regional High School fields.

"This is our event. This is our family," said Greg Smith, Oakmont's assistant principal. "Our community will grieve for a longtime over Jordyn's death. The Jordyn Day's celebration is both an honor to her memory and an opportunity for others."

She is survived by her parents Patrick and Judy Kalagher, and her older sister, Ashley Kalagher. She is also survived by a large extended family.

Her family, while not helping to organize the event, is planning on attending.

"They are planning on being there in full force on that day," Blanchette said.

The support the family has given to Kalagher's grieving friends is one of the reasons that everyone wants to help do something in her memory.

"I felt like I had to give some- thing back to them," Kim Zbikowski said.

Blanchette said, "We can never bring back Jordyn, but we can say, 'Thank you for having such a beautiful daughter.'"

The group includes Erin Speer and her mom Blanchette; Mia Claigaris and her mom Zbikowski; Chelsea Lorenzen, and her mom Christine; Chelsea Gianino, and her mom Michelle; Michaela Cournoyer, and her mom Sharon Cournoyer-Astle; and Seth Knithitla and his mom, Nancy.

The group of friends wanted to do something in her memory and the event has bloomed beyond what anyone was thinking at the beginning. Kalagher was part of the Oakmont field hockey program beginning her junior year.

"The field hockey tournament was nice for her memory," Blanchette said. "We wanted to kick it off big to get a good chunk of money for Jordyn's scholarship."

The benefit games will be played between other high-school field hockey teams, whose players will pay $10 to participate. Two games will be played at a time during the day, and then the day will end with a game between Oakmont students who don't play field hockey for the school.

"We're hoping to make the field hockey portion an annual event," Blanchette said.

Another part of the event will have interactive games, including a rock-climbing wall sponsored by the National Guard, a mechanical bull, as well as blow-up obstacle courses and other activities.

"There won't be an admission to come in, but there will be an admission to get into the playland," Zbikowski said. "We wanted to make it a family event."

The Ashburnham Fire Department plans to bring up some of their trucks for children to look at and the National Guard is also going to bring some of their vehicles. There will also be food donated by Chartwell House and Applebee's Restaurant.

There are also a number of donated services. Some of these include EMT hours from the Ashburnham Fire Department for both the field hockey games and a general safety presence.

Bruce Collins, the head custodian at Oakmont, has donated his services during the day. Collins is a neighbor of the Kalaghers.

"None of us has ever done anything like this," Blanchette said. "We'd like to see if we can make $5,000."

Zbikowski said she would love to see more.

"It's about fun. It's how she lived her life," said Zbikowski.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Jordyn Taylor Kalagher Memorial Scholarship Fund, Attn. David Uminski, c/o Athol Savings Bank, 1499 Main St., Ashburnham, MA 01430.