After a two-week fundraising period, the Berlin Community Home and School Association helped collect over the target goal of $10,000
Berlin Community School had plenty to celebrate this past Thursday, Oct 25, when all grade levels through the school had the opportunity to participate in its first-ever Boosterthon Fun Run fundraiser.
Behind the school were two circles of either red or blue cones, creating a track for the children to walk, run or skip laps around to celebrate having reached their fundraising goal in just two weeks.
Separated into groups by similar grade levels, run times were at 8:45 and 10 a.m., as well as noon. Students donned shirts with numbers on their back up to 35, receiving a checkmark by a teacher for each lap they made around the track.
The Berlin Community Home and School Association started the fundraiser after Boosterthon reached out about being able to assist in any fundraising efforts. Previously, the BCSHA had been thinking of ways to raise money for a specific area of the school that was looking for newer supplies and technology, opening up the connection for these two groups to work together.
“Last year, our technology teachers had asked for some bigger ticket items that weren’t in our home and school budget,” said Lil Graham, president of the BCHSA. “So we thought of ways that we could possibly raise some additional funds to get the extra supplies they needed.”
Fundraising started Monday, Oct. 8, with a goal of $10,000 to be able to purchase the supplies and equipment requested for STEAM and the technology department.
Donations and fundraising were done online, gathering the support of the entire community to come together to support the cause for the school. Thanks to overwhelming support, the fundraising period raised more than $18,000 from Oct. 8 to the date of the fun run.
Principal Shelly Ward Richards was out to celebrate the event with the kids at the Boosterthon Fun Run, wearing a pink bunny costume while running and dancing around with the kids.
Richards explained that obviously the aspect of raising money through the community for the kids is beneficial, and the support the school received was amazing, however Boosterthon also interacted with the kids before the fun run, helping teach as well — adding another component to the fundraising that is different than most others.
“Not only did we raise a lot of money for the school but the great thing about this is that every day the students learned a new character lesson with a new character trait,” said Richards. “The Boosterthon people showed videos to the kids, came around to the classes and their lunches. And then of course today, it’s all physical activity. So there was a big education component to this.”
Boosterthon helped lead seven days of character lessons with the kids, teaching a different trait every day.
There is still time to donate, as fundraising doesn’t end until Thursday, Nov 1. Email bcsha9@gmail.com for more information on how to help donate and other ways to support the school throughout the year.
