Withers Elementary Supports Healthy Kids with its First Annual 5k Fundraiser

Just like most elementary schools, Harry C. Withers in Dallas, Texas has been selling something every fall to bankroll the PTA projects for the year.  For several recent years it has been cookie dough.  And, while everyone likes a fresh baked cookie now and then, the negatives were beginning to outweigh the positives:  going door-to-door to sell, coordinating delivery of a frozen product, only keeping 40% of the money earned.  Pair that with the child obesity issues facing our community, and our fearless PTA decided they could try something else.

The idea for a Wildcat Prowl 5k and fun run was born.  This wasn’t going to be just any old race, but an opportunity to gain community support for healthy kids and healthy families.  While the race wasn’t scheduled until the end of September, over the summer a team of volunteers began work on a 3-pronged approach to the event, which included a Race Day, Student Training, and Fundraising.

For the Race Day, volunteers began soliciting sponsors to underwrite the event in exchange for logo placement on the event website and on the race day t-shirts.  A community sponsorship campaign was started to give families and small businesses a chance support the cause as well.  There were also logistics to be planned: getting city permits, charting a race course, creating an event website, and hiring a local running store to manage online registration, chip timing and packet pickup.

In addition to all the logistics, to make the race a success, we had to ensure students were prepared to cross the finish line on race day.  So, a training program “Train for the Prowl” was developed, and led by adult volunteers. Students were invited to attend a free training either before or after school once a week for the month leading up to the event. These training sessions included basic calisthenics and stretching, endurance drills, and running practice. The final session was a “human school bus” that ran 2 miles through the neighborhood, picking up student athletes and their parents at designated “bus stops” along the route.  Training volunteers also led a gym class for all grades to promote proper running training, and to teach students a fun flash mob dance that they would perform on race day.

The final piece, fundraising, was a huge job, but our amazing volunteers were up to the task!  Using the model of past fall fundraisers, the timeline was short and sweet —just 10 days— and prizes were offered at several levels of fundraising.  To make things easier for busy families, both traditional paper donation forms and online fundraising options were available.  Volunteers created the promotional materials, fired up the kids with student assemblies (even scoring a local retired professional athlete to come to the school), and coordinated purchasing all the prizes.

This was a ton of work.  And, as it was the first year, it was all a leap of faith.  Would people come to the race?  Would students raise money without a product to sell?  Would anyone come to the training?  Would we make enough money to run our programs for the year?  Would people get behind the message of healthy kids and healthy families?

Well, the answer was a resounding YES!!!!  Here are some highlights of our success:

• The running store said the event would be considered successful if it had 300 runners the first year: The Wildcat Prowl 5K and fun run had over 800 registrants! Between sponsorships and registration fees, the event more than broke even.
• The committee thought that if 20 or 30 kids came to the training that it would be a success:  Over 90 kids came out in the Texas heat for those sessions.  And, lots of teachers and parents too! 
• And as for the fundraising: Our goal was to raise at least $15,000.  Over 200 students participated and raised over $35,000!  And, because volunteers managed the process, less than 20% went to expenses.

Still, better than all the benchmarks being surpassed was the electricity in the air the morning of the race. People from the whole community came to support their kids, OUR kids. More than 40% of the students at our school participated, many with their parents.  Seeing those kids cross the finish line was just the best! 

Was it crazy amounts of hard work?  Yes.  Was it scary to take such a big risk?  Yes.  But, ask any one who put their time, passion, and enthusiasm into this project if it was worth it.  Not only would they tell you “Of course!” but I bet they are already figuring out how to make it even better next year.