A Dryden High School teacher has launched ‘The Helping Serena Project’ in hopes to support one of her students.
Serena Kentner is the daughter of the late Barbara Kentner and not long after losing her mother, she continued to attend Dryden High School during the trial for her mother’s death.
But now 19 year old Serena faces another battle.
“She (Serena) was in my civics class and my law classes over the years,” said teacher Cindy Palermo, “and a few months ago, I found out that Serena had taken ill. Serena is now battling leukemia, so she had to move from Dryden to Ottawa to undergo a bone marrow transplant back in October. She was basically in the hospital for an extended period of time, since visitors aren’t allowed because of COVID, by herself and is now undergoing chemotherapy treatment.”
While there have been other donation efforts in support of Serena, Palermo explains she wanted to take it one step further.
“The little voice in my head said, why don’t you auction off one of your paintings? And I thought well, what about other Dryden artists that I know, maybe they’d be interested in contributing something and between us we could auction them off and give Serena the money.”
Palermo says to date, there are over 80 pieces to bid on donated by artists from Calgary all the way to Southern Ontario.
“Art is just such a positive thing, I don’t think anyone ever looks at art and feels bad.”
Palermo adds the community has been extremely generous just over a week into the auction.
“It’s just so nice to see and I want to see how much we can do for Serena and give her a hand for whatever she might need to support her financially, in the near future and just so she knows there are so many people in our community who are supporting her and wishing her well.”
The art auction is live on ‘The Helping Serena Project’ Facebook page until March 14th.
If you’re not into art but would still like to contribute, monetary donations are also being accepted here.
Full Interview with teacher and organizer Cindy Palermo
Background on Barbara Kentner’s Murder Trial
Brayden Bushby was found guilty of manslaughter in the July 2017 death of 34 year old Barbara Kentner of Wabigoon Lake Ojibway First Nation.
Justice Helen Pierce found the 22 year old guilty December 2020, saying the fatal outcome of his violent act was foreseeable.
Kentner died five months after being struck by a trailer hitch thrown by the accused from a moving car while she was walking with her sister on a residential street in Thunder Bay.
Judge Pierce will hand down Bushby’s sentence May 4th.
(With Files From Kevin Jeffrey/Thunder Bay and Mike Ebbeling/Dryden)
