On Oct. 9, parents and teachers gathered together for a special Paint Night hosted by the PTO at Orchard Farms Elementary School.

Approximately 30 adults gathered in the cafeteria at the school to raise funds for the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Center.

Jen Waterman, a first-grade teacher at Orchard Farms, is a 1-1/2 year survivor of breast cancer and has been active with the Gloria Gemma Foundation. She is married to Mike Waterman and has three children, Noah, Juliet and Kenley.

“I loved this event. It was so much fun,” she said. “The PTO wanted to raise money for a charity. They have rallied around me for the past two years. They wanted to continue to support me, so they wanted to donate to Gloria Gemma.

“Gloria Gemma has helped me so much,” she continued. “My family received dinners when I was in treatment, I have attended yoga classes and young survivor events. I am the current Ms. October in the calendar, I was on a billboard for the foundation, I spoke on the State House steps at Flames of Hope last year, and I have carried a torch the past two years. The support I have received from the foundation is awesome.”

The Paint Night was held to honor Waterman and to raise funds for the Gloria Gemma Foundation. Tickets were $25 per person, and there were also many raffle items and baskets up for bid.