On Jan. 12, 2015, the Charles Henderson High School class of 2016 lost fellow classmate Kristal Ross to suicide. After the loss of their classmate, the students of the high school in Troy, Alabama, decided to raise money for suicide awareness. They came up with a unique strategy to raise money for this great cause, and they are using the story of their beloved classmate to make a difference in the lives of others in the community.

If you have driven around Troy lately, you may have noticed a brightly painted orange-and-blue toilet sitting in someone's yard. Four of Ross' close friends decided to paint a toilet in their school colors and put it in yards across town. Here is how the fundraiser works: The painted toilet is placed in an individual's yard; to have the toilet removed from their yard they must make a $30 donation; once a donation is made, the donor can chose whose yard they want the toilet to be moved to.

Although the toilet is the main form of fundraising being featured by the students of CHHS, it is not the only way they are raising money for suicide awareness. The students are also selling T-shirts, setting up a "pie a teacher in the face" fundraiser, and participating in the Out of the Darkness Walk sponsored by Troy University.

Personally, I think what these students are doing in honor of their friend is amazing! The support they are gaining from the citizens of Troy is truly heartwarming. Sadly, suicide is a real issue, and it claims the lives of approximately 105 Americans each day, according to SAVE.org.

Read this article from the Troy Messenger to find out more about the fundraiser.