Saint Gilbert School’s 1st Annual Fun Run Is A Hit

On Thursday, September 7, 2017, Saint Gilbert School kick-started its annual Rebel Reserve Campaign in an entirely new way – with a school-wide Fun-Run and involved school-wide participation. Hoping to raise $25,000.00, the school exceeded its goal and has collected over $33,000.00!

Two years ago, Saint Gilbert principal Brian Tekampe founded the Rebel Reserve which raises funds to enhance classroom activities, to fund capital projects, to upgrade equipment, and keep the tuition rate at a lower cost for more families. Mr. Tekampe noted, “90% of our families donated to the effort and 100% of the students participate in the race.” Moreover, the effort was national and multinational: Donations flowed in from 31 different states and 3 countries. Demonstrating the community aspect of the event, 56.6% of the pledges came non-parents.

While still in its infancy, Mr. Tekampe and parents felt there needed to be a way to energize the effort from the beginning, to excite the students and the families about the importance of the Rebel Reserve. That’s how the Fun-Run came to be. The brain-child of Meaghan Dahm and Tricia Glover of the Family School Association, they approached Mr. Tekampe with concept of a school wide run to start the campaign off right. According to Mrs. Dahm, “Saint Gilbert School has an amazing community. We really wanted an event that strengthened the community while raising money to help our school excel even more. And we definitely achieved that goal."

Students were requested to run a number of laps, getting sponsors for each lap or a lump donation for running the race. Each grade level competed to see who could help the school more and each student was rewarded for the pledges they were able to obtain for the school. According to Nate S., a 7th grader at the school, “It was really cool to be able to help the school and have fun at the same time. The classroom competitions and the prizes added a fun element. And the race was cool because you got to run with your friends while helping the school.”

One parent liked the kick-off because “it was fun to see them energized about prizes but also being taught about the importance of giving back and that giving back can be a joy in and of itself.”

For what's happening at Saint Gilbert School, feel free to call us 847-223-8600 or email us at: school.office@stgilbertschool.org. Visit http://www.stgilbertschool.org or check us out at https://www.facebook.com/Saint-Gilbert-Catholic-School-126504574087725

For more on this fundraising effort see http://www.stgilbertschool.org/rebel-reserve-annual-appeal/

or to make a donation, please follow the link: https://www.givecentral.org/location/378/event/9971