As soon as the 3 p.m. dismissal bell rang at Haddonfield Middle and Central schools yesterday, a wintry mix began to fall.

And with the wintry mix, hundreds of yellow shoelaced-shoes and pony-tails emerged from school buildings. Students with traditional sneakers were all laced up, and those wearing boots or Uggs, displayed their yellow laces in their hair or on school bags.

The shoelace statement is part of a community response to the recent bone cancer diagnosis of Haddonfield 7^th grade Middle School student, Jason Garstkiewicz. Garstkiewicz has a sarcoma on his left tibia. He was diagnosed shortly before Christmas.

Parents from Jason’s 7^th grade lacrosse team quickly reached out to Go4theGoal Foundation to order a few hundred NEON yellow shoelaces to distribute to kids around town to show both support for him and his family and to raise awareness about pediatric cancer in the community.

“Within hours we had orders for almost 1,000 laces, and ‘Lace-Up & Help Kick Pediatric Cancer’ was born,” said Jean-Anne McMahon, a Haddonfield resident and friend of Jason’s family. “Due to the overwhelming demand, we ordered an additional 3,000 laces!”

Yesterday, laces were sold outside of all the elementary schools and the Middle School. Tables displaying the NEON yellow laces were decorated with blue and yellow balloons and Go4theGoal Foundation banners. Classmates of Garstkiewicz commented on what the effort means to them, and to their friend.

“It is a lot of money to pay for the medical bills,” said 7^th graders Kayla Warner and Alexa Gostovich. “I think Jason probably likes knowing a lot of people are supporting him.”

Sales of the laces will continue through the weekend with stands planned for Friday’s student dance and in King’s Court on Saturday and Sunday.

Laces are $3 a pair and are also available at many Haddonfield retailers, including Haddonfield Running Company and HerSport. Proceeds will benefit both Jason and his family and the Go4theGoal Foundation.  Laces are available for purchase at Shop G4G on the Go4theGoal.