8 Mile

West Valley Elementary School held their 22nd Annual Walkathon on Saturday, in an effort to raise money for the school’s endowment fund. This was our first walkathon, but certainly not our last. The event is hosted by the PTA and is an all volunteer engagement, complete with most of the 700 students that attend West Valley and their family and friends.

The school endowment is close to a $1 million strong, so this year’s walkathon goal was to push the amount well into seven figures. Music, computer and library programs are paid for in part by this fund, thanks to the inept budget management of our state politicians (ahem Dave Gravis).

Anyhow, the rules for the walkathon were pretty run of the mill. Get people to sponsor you, then walk as far as you can in order to raise money for the beneficiary. The event and satellite events were anything but run of the mill. It’s remarkable what a bunch of community minded people can do when they band together.


Karsyn & friends
The satellite events included a bake sale, book sale, costume sale, a raffle and a silent auction. The raffle itself was something to behold. Parents and businesses were asked to donate theme items, which were then packaged into raffle prize baskets. These baskets were stuffed to the brim with ten to twenty items, packaged around a theme.

For example, they put together a handyman’s basket, which include a work bench, power tools, and several hand tools from the Home Depot. Another basked included an X-box complete with four or five games and a couple of board games. My favorite was the Tivo system, complete with a full set of beer mugs. Somebody certainly had me in mind when they packaged that basket. Electronic gadgetry and beer. What a combination!


More Friends!
The event coordinators really knew how to motivate the kids. After registering at the sign in desks, each student is issued a laminated lap card that has placeholders for each lap that student completed.

A lap consisted of a 1/3 mile jaunt around the school walking path. Cheaters need not apply, but just to be safe, the event staff roped off the entire course, so it was impossible to cut corners or trim any distance off the track.


West Valley Wildcats
After completing each lap, volunteers were stationed at a checkpoint station ready to punch a hole in the kids lap cards, signifying a completed lap. The students were then provided incentives for completing laps. 15 laps (or five miles) earned you a ribbon, which was affixed to a button that was also issued to all participants. 15 laps also earned you a soda (each family was asked to donate a 6-pack of soda the week before). Sugar! The ultimate carrot dangling before these money raising mules!

The kids could earn different colored ribbons after they achieved specific distances. Eight miles earned you the coveted orange ribbon. 10, 12, 14, 15, 18 and 20 mile checkpoints followed.

Once the child passed through the checkpoint, a ribbon station awaited (also dubbing as a lap card repair station…these people thought of everything).


Karsyn carrying her class flag
In order to bring the competitive spirit to the class level, one parent from each classroom was asked to create a class flag, which is decorated in a theme of their choice, along with the names of each student from that class. The flag was available for each student to carry on their sojourn around the course. Every time the class flag passed the checkpoint, it received a lap credit (measured by it own lap card). Each class essentially competes against each other for bragging rights for the year.

Karsyn’s Kindergarten room had a light blue flag, adorned with the phrase “Redke’s Bees”. Mrs. Redke (for those of you new to this blog) is Karsyn’s teacher. When I last checked the Bees had amassed close to 30 laps (or 10 miles).


One of Redke's Bees
Karsyn surprised Sonya and I by logging 24 laps on her own. That’s 8 miles! A kindergartner that cranked out 8 miles! There’s no doubt she’s Karl Wuttke’s granddaughter. Grandpa Karl is a hiking machine, and Karsyn may have inherited some of that skill.


Karsyn's Lap Card
She topped off the day by playing in a soccer game for the Unicorns that afternoon. Needless to say, we had little problem getting her to bed that night. I’m paying the price for my participation. Four days later and my back is still killing me. I may be participating in the lounge-a-thon next year.

To all are family and friends who sponsored Karsyn this year, she sends out a big thank you. She raised close to $100.


Karsyn and Mrs. Redke
More photos of the [West Valley Walkathon]