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Cardinals dash for cash

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Cardinal Dash nets $10,000 for booster club
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By
Mavis Fodness

Friday’s weather was ideal for the Second Annual Cardinal Dash, but fundraising goals fell short for the Parents Partners in Education event.
PPIE will have around $10,000 to support its various events, down from last year’s $12,600 amount.
“Overall, everyone seems to enjoy it,” said organizer Anne Shelton. “Everybody gets outside.”
Last month the 539 students at Luverne Elementary School were given pledge packets and challenged to gather monetary pledges for the Cardinal Dash: Keeping Cardinal Kids Running.
The Dash replaced the group’s previous frozen food fundraiser.
After completing the run, participants gathered on the high school football field for a Zumba session before the award presentation.
Deb Hoogendoorn’s fourth-grade class earned the Cardinal Dash trophy for returning the highest amount in pledges. Sandy Klosterbuer’s first-graders returned the second highest amount.
Prizes were also given individually based on the pledge amounts, and 204 students earned individual prizes, including 44 students reaching $100 or more in pledges.
Shelton said the number of this year’s pledges was down 20 percent from last year when 235 students returned the pledge envelopes. Feedback indicated other fundraisers were occurring at the same time and could have hindered the amount of community pledges.
Another possible hindrance to the group’s fundraising efforts could be the community’s understanding of PPIE’s purpose.
PPIE is the school’s parent advisory group and sponsors several educational activities within the school.
Each year the group sponsors the Respect Lunch, author visits, guest speakers and swimming lessons for all second- and third- graders.
“Sometimes that’s the only time students learn to swim,” Shelton said.
Amy Nelson assisted Shelton and treasurer Aaron Perkins with the Cardinal Dash.
She said instead of one large fundraiser, PPIE is considering a fall fundraising event along with the spring Cardinal Dash. The group is considering an event in conjunction with the high school’s fall Homecoming activities.
“We want to expand Homecoming to the elementary level,” Nelson said.
PPIE will conduct its last meeting of the school year at 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 9, in the elementary media center. All parents are welcome to attend.

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