Schools
Granby Students Run for a Cause in First Ever Jogathon Fundraiser
Students run thousands of laps to raise funds for PTO
Some 400 students in kindergarten through sixth grade turned out Saturday, Sept. 24 for the first ever Granby PTO Jogathon. The event raised enough funds so that none of the traditional PTO catalog fundraisers will be necessary this 2011-12 school year.
The students ran a total of 508 miles during the event at , which is just past the distance from Granby to Virginia Beach, Va.
"This fundraiser was great because the kids were actively involved with raising money for our schools," said Granby PTO President Amy Milbrandt, who was in charge of the event. "It was a great display of community spirit, and it was wonderful to see so many people willing to support the PTO."
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Students from ran a total of 2,375 laps - or 198 miles - on the smaller K-2 track.
Students from Kelly Lane and intermediate schools ran 2,475 laps, or 309 miles, on the larger 3-6 track.
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Runners were cheered on by parents and classmates, and were provided with encouragement and musical entertainment all day by DJ Eugene Smyth. A group of high school and parent volunteers helped to make the day run smoothly.
As of Monday, the PTO had collected $6,868 from Kearns students, $5,328 from Kelly Lane students and $3,678 from Wells Road students. Children have until Oct. 7 to submit both flat donations and per-lap donations, which are expected to bring the total amount raised up significantly.
The classroom which collects the most money in each grade at each school will win an ice cream party from Tina's Ice Cream. The overall winning class from each school will win a "Golden Shoe Trophy," which they can keep for bragging rights until next year's expected event.
Each school has also announced small incentives when specific fundraising goals are reached, such as $2,500, $5,000 and $7,500. For instance, Kearns students held a "Hat Day" last week. This week, they're invited to wear mismatched clothes one day, and another day they'll hold an impromptu dance party.
Final fundraising totals will be announced after the Oct. 7 donation submission deadline. The money raised will support PTO services and programs, including field trips, in-school performances, the Enhanced Learning Fund for teachers, various arts programs and more.
