LA CROSSE, Wis. (WXOW) - Five teens from the Mathy Boys and Girls Club took a trip to Citizen's Bank in downtown La Crosse for "Cash in with a Cop."
The teens got to take a tour of the bank's facilities, and had a short lesson on how a bank works and ways to save money. They also have the opportunity to make $120, donated by the Sara Rose Hougom Foundation.
They are eligible for this money if they open an account at Citizen's Bank, deposit a little money each month, and make no withdrawals. If the teens do each of those things, they will receive ten dollars every month for a whole year.
Sherry Hougom, the organizer of the program, told the teens that the twenty dollar minimum to open an account would be donated by the foundation, in addition to the other donations.
This event is part of a larger program started by the Sara Rose Hougom Foundation, called "Life Skills, Sara Style," run in conjunction with area Boys and Girls Clubs and local police. Sherry Hougom said that she wants to help kids learn important skills for life. Previous events focused on skills such as first aid, planting, and cooking.
Hougom says that cops are her "cool factor." She wants kids to have a good relationship with the police, and she hopes that events like hers will create better community connections in the future.
The Sara Rose Hougom Foundation started several years ago, after the death of Sara, Sherry's daughter, in 2012. Sherry said that on that day, her life changed in an instant. Sara was fatally shot after two individuals that broke into her apartment.
After working with a UW-La Crosse fraternity, Sherry Hougom created the foundation in honor of her daughter. Along with their life skills classes, the foundation also provides scholarships for area students, and hosts events that get kids out into nature.
Hougom said she wants to continue her daughter's legacy, by not only setting kids up for success, but having fun while doing it. She said her favorite part about working with kids, is how much they remind her of Sara, adding, "they share her zest for life."
