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Helena Elementary School students cheer as they make laps around the track at a Boosterthon Fun Run on Oct. 25. (Reporter Photo/Keith McCoy)

By GRAHAM BROOKS / Staff Writer

HELENA–Upbeat music and laughs could be heard coming from the backside of Helena Elementary School on Wednesday, Oct. 25, and kindergartners were making as many laps as possible around a red and blue track all for a cause.

All the running was for the Boosterthon Fun Run, which is a large fundraiser that helps raise money for the school while students have lots of fun with their classmates.

For the 10th year in a row, HES faculty, students and parents came together for the Boosterthon Fun Run, as parents and teachers cheered on students as each lap completed raised more money for the school.

Signs that read, “You rock Emily,” “Go Esteban,” and more could be seen as parents encouraged the students to make as many laps as possible.

Helena Elementary School Principal Mary Cooper was seen cheering in the middle of the track with red and blue pom poms as teachers at the school traditionally get the largest amount of money from this fundraiser.

“Our goal for this year was $35,000 and we have met that goal,” Cooper said. “The teachers normally get around 10 percent from this fundraiser to use in their classroom accounts and overall the school gets about 50 percent of the profit which is great.”

The Boosterthon Fun Run program typically lasts around nine days and consists of four main parts: The pep rally, team huddles, the fun run and collection, according to the website.

How the fundraiser works is students get a pledge donation amount from parents or any other relatives who can pledge a certain amount of money per lap or donate a flat amount. As students made laps, HES teachers marked off the laps completed and the total amount continued to grow.

Several members from the Boosterthon Program were present at the track to encourage students, play music, interact with them and more.

Because Helena Elementary School met its target goal, Cooper said in the coming days she, along with a few other teachers, will be taped to a wall as a funny way to celebrate the funds raised.

The Boosterthon Fun Run program has served more than 1,900 schools nationwide and has helped schools raise money for more than 15 years.

For more information on the Boosterthon Fun Run program, visit Boosterthon.com.

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