Caitlin Clark is no stranger to receiving praise. The Indiana Fever superstar usually gets props for her outstanding play on the hardwood, but this time, the attention had nothing to do with what she did on the court.
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The Fever guard reportedly made a $2,000 donation to a fundraiser in memory of Jessica Schoffel. X account Clark Report explained the situation in a post on the website.
According to the post, the fundraiser is being held to honor the memory of Schoffel, known by the user handle @FeverBandwagon, a Caitlin Clark fan account. Schoffel has recently passed away. The fundraiser is collecting money in order to provide Buddy Benches and books for classrooms in the local area in her memory. Clark’s contribution to the cause will provide for the children of the area.
The post also contained a screenshot of the top donations on the GoFundMe.com page for the fundraiser, and Clark was at the top of the donations, with $2,000.
According to reports, Schoffel, who went by @FeverBandwagon on X, was an avid fan of Clark and an active member of her fan community on the website. She had been an elementary school teacher, having grown up in Trumansburg, New York, with the fundraiser adding that she had participated in the construction of the original Trumansburg Community Playground when she was in kindergarten. She passed away on July 17, aged 44, and the fundraiser wished to use the donations to fund the buddy benches at the playground.
“A buddy bench is designed to help kids combat isolation and bullying, encourages students to practice empathy and to invite their peers to join in play, goals which were always a priority in Jessica’s classroom,” the fundraiser read. “We will also donate children’s books about the concept of buddy benches for teachers to use in their classrooms.”
Clark’s decision to donate quickly generated a lot of attention.
Fans Praise Caitlin Clark for Putting Community Above Basketball
Fans were quick to notice Caitlin Clark’s charitable efforts, even apart from her efforts with the Caitlin Clark Foundation. This time, apart from just fans, even reporters came online to show their appreciation.
Reporter Rosalina Lee was one of the many reactors, quoting the post with a simple message showing appreciation for Clark. “Wow 🥹❤️❤️,” her post read.
A more in-depth response came from Iowa Hawkeyes insider and 247Sports reporter David Eickholt, someone who’s familiar with Clark since her early days.
“Not surprising given her character but a classy move nevertheless. Always bigger than basketball. RIP,” he wrote.
Fans also chimed in, with one highlighting the emotional significance of the gesture to Schoffel and her family, given the teacher’s fandom for Clark. “🥹🥹🥹 i know this meant the world to Jess!,” their comment read.
Another supporter praised Clark’s move, showing the wider sentiment among fans of the star’s influence extending well beyond what she does on the basketball court. “Great Athlete and even better human! 🙏🏻.”
One comment clearly tied together the sentiment online with a simple but poignant set of words. “She’s a gem,” the fan’s comment read, summing up the wide set of responses from fans.
For fans, as well as Schoffel’s family, the $2,000 donation means considerably more than just the dollar value.