GREENSBURG, Ind. — Armed with a pack of markers and colored pencils, a Batesville fourth grader is making a mark on his community.
“He was driving past the hospital, this is during COVID time, and he just had this idea where he wanted to give back,” said Melissa Schory, Max Schory’s stepmom.
Max was only 6 years old at the time. He launched his first fundraiser for Decatur County Memorial Hospital that year, painting rocks and selling them for money.
He’s held a fundraiser each year since, selling paintings during his second year and drawings during his third.
“It's just fun because I get to use my creativity,” Max said.
He’s raised about $500 each year for the hospital, generating about $1,500 total.
This year, he recruited his classmates to help and produce art too.
“Max is a very giving and caring young man and it's great that he's able to do this for us,” said Mandy Lohrum, director of the Hospital Foundation of Decatur County. “I love that he chose us.”
This year, Max chose to support concussion testing with his donation. The hospital’s ImPact Testing program allows residents (including kids) to measure their brain function in a normal, healthy state — before a concussion. That way, if they get a concussion, doctors can use the baseline score to evaluate next steps. The testing is free for users.
“He's paying for over half of the cost of this one project that we do,” Lohrum said. “Him giving is such a huge thing because he's contributing to people who he will never meet.”
His work serves as a reminder that small people can have a big impact.
“Here's a 9-year-old, who's got anything he could want to do, be outside playing, but he dedicates weeks to making these pictures,” said his dad, Travis Schory. “I think he's just setting the standard for himself and for us, as his parents, and everybody else he comes in contact with.”
Max is finished selling his drawings this year, but you can follow along with his efforts here.
You can also donate to the hospital directly here.
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