A junior student has taken his passion for helping others and combined it with pole vaulting

Jarod Forer, a junior, has been involved with pole vaulting since his freshman year, and he practices it nearly year round. The track and field sport is similar to the long jump, except the competitor has a long pole that helps the athlete propel upwards over a bar.

Vaults For Benefit is a new fundraiser that Forer organized that combines this event with his other concern, helping others.

“I wanted to do something to take what I love to do and use it to help other people,” Forer said.

He decided to take an issue that he felt needed a stronger voice and organized a way for anyone to be able contribute to it. The fundraiser is through the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).

“I see it as a way for people in our community to give back to people who need the help,” Forer said.

To get this fundraiser in place, Forer sent emails to Principal John Arlotta, Athletic Director Frank Violante, and his track and field coach Carl Johnson. He met with the group twice, contacted league officials, drafted a form for other teams to sign up and he talked to the people of the AFSP.

“He has been very good about doing all of the organizing,” Coach Johnson said. Johnson, the head pole vaulting coach, sees a special quality in Forer.  

“He is an exceptional leader. Certain days I’m here babysitting and he is running practice,” Johnson said. “He is a very smart athlete.”

Forer has shown himself to be leader through this fundraiser, but he has always shown qualities of a leader.

“Jarod knows a lot about what he does, and he is good at instructing other athletes and helping them with whatever they need help with,” Andrew Roderich, Jarod’s teammate and classmate, said. “Jarod has helped me in pole vault in many ways, either by helping figure out what I was doing wrong and correct them or just getting my step when I take a jump.”

Anyone can donate. There is a Google Form and a Facebook group on which one can pledge a donation. So if one were to pledge 50 cents per cleared bar, clearing ten bars would equal a $5 donation.

Forer hopes that this fundraiser can be “a way to give back for people who have the intentions, but can’t find a way to go through with that.”