Waconia Patriot: Elementary schools hold fall fundraisers

Reprinted with permission from the Waconia Patriot

By Al Lohman

Bayview students were on safari, Southview students were staying fit, and Laketown students were moving and grooving.

It was fall celebration fundraisers for District 110 elementary schools in the weeks before MEA break and each had a different theme.

Bayview Elementary was turned into a jungle and students went on safari room to room to hear a different story. The theme was “Wild about Bayview,” with students and staff encouraged to wear their favorite animal prints or animal costumes.

“The Read-a-thon is always one of the students’ favorite events,” said Bayview Principal Ann Swanson. One favorite feature, she explained, was a flashlight reading room deep in the Bayview jungle. Another was visiting “mystery readers,” high school seniors, often Bayview alums, who returned to school to read stories to students.

“Our kids really look up to the big kids,” Swanson said.

Meanwhile, at Laketown Elementary students participated in a Move and Groove-a-thon, promoting teamwork and fitness. Students spent the morning moving station to station where they participated in relay events and activities like crossfit training, karate and Zumba.

Fitness was also a theme at Southview’s annual Fit-a-thon, which includes special fitness events, games, plus a family bag lunch picnic.

Parent-teacher organizations are active in decorating and staging each annual fall fundraising event, principals note, and funds raised from student pledges go toward special classroom purchases.