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Adams School jumps over goal
Published 11:49am Monday, March 18, 2013First- and second-grade students at Adams Elementary School thought they had raised a total of more than $4,500 toward their fundraising campaign Jump Rope For Heart, which was short of the $5,050 goal.
Not so fast.
A last-minute donation came in which put the grand total over the goal by eight cents. It was a surprise to the students, as they found out during an awards assembly for the fundraiser Friday afternoon. The reward for meeting the goal? Pie in the face of the physical education teachers Joyce Monk and Michael Bare, who said he’d never taken or given a pie to the face.
“I didn’t think it was going to be as drippy,” Bare said.
Aleah Keller (second grade), the top fundraiser with $255, and Mackenzie Merz (first grade), who raised $250, each received medals before tossing the pies and some silly string. Their fellow students cheered them on with chants of “Pie!” and “Silly string!”
It was Jason and Kristi Hastings (daughter Ava is a second grader) who made the final donation of $486. Kristi presented physical education teacher Michael Bare with the check during the assembly, which set off a spark of excitement among the students.
“I just said ‘what do we need to reach the goal?’ because I saw that they were so close,” Kristi said. “I think the kids were surprised.”
Jump Rope For Heart is a national fundraising program co-sponsored by the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, and the American Heart Association.
Between Adams, Cleveland and McKinely elementaries the Fergus Falls schools raised more than $13,000 to help fight heart disease and stroke, the nation’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers. Students jumped rope during gym class and received donations.
“It’s a wonderful feeling for the children that they came through and accomplished their goal,” said Wayne Geary, youth market director for the American Heart Association.
Thanks to the Hastings! You made a lot of kids really happy and donated to a good cause. The pie and silly string were the talk of the school when I came to pick up my son! A lovely gesture from a lovely family.