Snider Students Installed Buddy Bench at The Ike Stadium

Students unveiled a new friendship bench at the stadium following a successful $1,650 fundraising campaign.

Updated on Oct. 10, 2026 in Philanthropy

Snider Students Installed Buddy Bench at The Ike Stadium

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Snider High School students Sammie Vance and Theo Price installed a buddy bench at The Ike Stadium. The installation was completed after the school reached a fundraising goal of $1,650 during spirit week.

Why it matters

The project promotes friendship through the Buddy Bench Project while supporting children with cancer through the charity Swings4Theo. The funds raised will help provide TinCaps baseball trips for young patients.

Students successfully raised $1,650 to support the Swings4Theo charity. This total enabled the installation of the bench following the completion of spirit week fundraising activities.

The players

Sammie Vance

She is the founder of the Buddy Bench Project which aims to foster friendship and inclusion among students.

Theo Price

He is the founder of Swings4Theo, a charity dedicated to funding baseball trips for children battling cancer.

Principal Hissong

He serves as the school administrator and has expressed plans to install more benches at the stadium.

The details

Sammie Vance, founder of the Buddy Bench Project, collaborated with Theo Price, who started Swings4Theo, to complete the project. The duo unveiled the bench during the school homecoming football game held in Fort Wayne.

Friday: Buddy bench unveiled at homecoming game
Saturday: Vance and Price joined forces

Market Landscape

This installation follows the established pattern of the Buddy Bench Project to encourage social integration in local schools. It highlights a growing trend of student-led philanthropic efforts that align community venues with specific charitable missions.

Residents attending future events at The Ike Stadium will now have access to the new friendship bench. Families looking to participate in or learn more about the project can watch for potential expansions at the stadium and Parkview Field.

The takeaway

This initiative demonstrates how student-led efforts can create tangible community impact through focused fundraising. Readers can implement similar models by identifying local needs and setting concrete financial goals to drive small-scale community improvements.