High Schools Raise $27,000 for Local Causes Through Love Local Fundraiser

Annual fundraiser shifts focus from state-wide charity to supporting community needs in Sweetwater County.

Mar. 3, 2026 at 3:47am

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The annual Love Local fundraising drive organized by the student councils of Rock Springs and Green River high schools in Sweetwater County, Wyoming raised over $27,000 this year. Unlike previous years where the funds were donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the money will now stay local to support various community organizations and families in need.

Why it matters

The shift in the Love Local fundraiser's focus from a state-wide charity to supporting local causes in Sweetwater County reflects a growing trend among schools and communities to direct charitable efforts towards addressing hyperlocal needs. This allows the funds raised to have a more direct and meaningful impact on the lives of residents in the immediate area.

The details

In past years, the two high schools competed to see which could raise the most money for Make-A-Wish, typically bringing in $60,000 to $80,000 annually. However, only $8,000 of that would stay in Sweetwater County to fund one wish, with the rest supporting wishes across Wyoming. Now, the students collaborate rather than compete, working together to maximize their fundraising efforts. The remaining funds beyond what's needed for one local Make-A-Wish donation will go towards supporting 18 different local causes, including providing a nonverbal child with an iPad for communication software and helping families pay off medical bills.

  • The Love Local fundraiser took place during the Rock Springs–Green River basketball game on Friday, March 1, 2026.
  • The student councils from both high schools will meet in the coming weeks to determine how to distribute the $27,000 they raised.

The players

Amberlee Beardsley

The Health Occupations Career Academy and student council coordinator at Rock Springs High School.

Rock Springs High School

One of the two high schools in Sweetwater County, Wyoming that collaborated on the Love Local fundraiser.

Green River High School

The other high school in Sweetwater County, Wyoming that collaborated with Rock Springs High School on the Love Local fundraiser.

Make-A-Wish Foundation

The national non-profit organization that grants wishes to children with critical illnesses, which previously received the majority of the funds raised through the Love Local drive.

Parents as Teachers

A local community organization that will receive a portion of the funds raised through the 2026 Love Local fundraiser.

Wyoming Initiative

A local community organization that will receive a portion of the funds raised through the 2026 Love Local fundraiser.

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What they’re saying

“Love Local has been more fulfilling and impactful for the student councils at both schools. While the total amount raised may not match previous years, she emphasized that the money will make a difference locally.”

— Amberlee Beardsley, Health Occupations Career Academy and student council coordinator, Rock Springs High School

What’s next

In the coming weeks, student council members from both Rock Springs and Green River high schools will meet to determine how best to distribute the $27,000 they raised through the Love Local fundraiser to support various local causes and community organizations.

The takeaway

The shift in the Love Local fundraiser's focus from supporting a state-wide charity to directing funds towards hyperlocal needs in Sweetwater County demonstrates how schools and communities are increasingly looking to make a more direct and meaningful impact on the lives of their own residents through charitable efforts.