MN Marathon for Nonpublic Education – Success stories
Take a look at the successes reported by schools below …
Calvin Christian School of Minneapolis
Approximately 200 students and their families participated in the Metro Marathon raising over $46,100.
Ave Maria Academy, Maple Grove
The day’s theme was “Discover a Community of Service.” Ave Maria wanted to teach students
not only what their community does to offer service but how they can be of service to others. Participants did a 3 mile walk/run/stroll/bike through a local park and then gathered back at school for some excitement. Local firemen, police & ambulance had their vehicles on display for the families and provided families with ideas on how they serve others. The school raised over $21,000. Sponsors covered the cost of t-shirts and gave donations for prizes. It was a very successful day.
Crucifixion Catholic School, LaCrescent
With over 100 participants, Crucifixion School raised nearly $8,500!
Epiphany Catholic School, Coon Rapids
We are from Epiphany School in Coon Rapids, MN and we celebrated Marathon this year with a community walk, hospitality and several service projects. Over 200 people helped clean the school, windows, church, church grounds, and played bingo with Epiphany Pines residents. New this year we sponsored four packing events at Feed My Starving Children (FMSC). FMSC asks volunteers to hand-pack meals specifically formulated for malnourished children. Those meals are then shipped to almost 70 countries. Over three hundred people volunteered and we packed over 60,000 meals. Our goal was $60,000 and we raised over $52,000 for the school. Additionally, our Associate Paster, Fr. Alex Carlson ran the Twin Cities Marathon in honor of his father and raised money for the school.
Gethsemane Lutheran School, Maplewood
We had a marvelous day!!! And we are so very glad that we were involved. Gethsemane had done the marathon in the past, but not for about 15 years, so it was all new to everyone. 96 students and their families raised over $7,000!!!!
Good Shepherd Catholic School, Golden Valley
Nearly 350 students and friends participated raising over $120,000!!
Guardian Angels Catholic School, Chaska
Guardian Angels School did a Service Marathon–called the Rake-a-thon. 161 students participated. Their goal was $30,000, but they raised $37,000!
Holy Trinity Catholic School, Pierz
Holy Trinity School is celebrating its 20th year as a corporate school. As part of the Marathon, a time capsule buried 20 years ago was dug up. (Each student wrote about what they would be doing in 20 years from now.) The letters will be posted in the school for community members to read. Many community members came to celebrate with us as they do every year. The Knights of Columbus provide walkers who help supervise students and they provide treats for the over 450 participants. $18,350 was raised!!
Holy Trinity Catholic School, Winsted
Our marathon theme this year was WALK WITH INTENTION. Along with pledges the school also collected more than 1000 prayer intentions and displayed them on a 5’x8’ mural. Holy Trinity raised $ 47,793!
Immaculate Conception Catholic School, Columbia Heights
We had a really exciting Marathon at Immaculate Conception Catholic School. Students, parents, staff and volunteers numbered 149 from the school with an additional 24 from its collaboration with the Faith Formation Department. Because the school had lower enrollment than in previous years, a modest goal of $12,000 was established. From the combination of pledges collected and matching grants from several companies, ICC raised $19,841.49!
A student-designed t-shirt with school theme was a highlight for the year. The day began in the school cafeteria for students who had bid on and won “Breakfast with the Principal.” We were blessed this day with our outstanding Knights of Columbus guiding our way along the marathon route, wearing their neon vests and holding the flags. Everyone was invited to fellowship after the Marathon in the school where hot dogs, nachos and hot chocolate were served. This was a strong time of community building.
John Ireland Catholic School, St. Peter
John Ireland Catholic School hosted it’s Marathon for Nonpublic Education on Friday afternoon, September 30, 2011. They had 33 parent walkers, 10 staff, and 88 students for a total of 131 participants. Participants walked roughly 3 miles to a local park and back displaying our John Ireland colors and banner proudly! The school raised $11,190 this year, which was short of the $15,000 goal, but they are still very proud of our hard working, dedicated students and families.
Maternity of Mary/St. Andrew School, St. Paul
The school budgeted to bring in $26,000 and we brought in $26,353.84!
Most Holy Redeemer School, Montgomery
The school raised $14,300! Our theme was “Working in God’s Royal Kingdom.” As members of God’s kingdom, we kicked off the event with a buddy day where older students partnered with a younger buddy to create a tie dye t-shirt. Throughout marathon week, students dressed in fun styles to celebrate their marathon spirit. The 5-8th grade students did service projects with 5-6th grade spending time at Park Manor in Montgomery while 7-8th grade created scare crows for the local assisting living home. For surpassing our school goal, we held a Royal Celebration event. Each class participated in a unique, royal game, with our top class serving as the Royal Family over the games. Top students from each class dressed up Father Cory Rohlfing and Principal Mindy Reeder as the Royal Jesters. It was a grand celebration in Montgomery!
Our Lady of the Lake School, Mound
Our Lady of the Lake School reached its goal of $35,000 with the help of Principal Ellen Feuling’s pledge to buzz her head if they did! Within 10 days, the required amount was brought in! The school divided into 10 teams and raked over 35 lawns of senior citizens and other local residents. In addition, the school partnered with the Freshwater Society to get the word out about not allowing leaves to filter into the local lakes and ponds as they cause a high build of phosphorus. Pictured is Ellen with an addition to her new hairdo -OLL etched in her head! Also pictured is a team with the home owners of the yard they just raked. The team is wearing OLL’s 2011 Rake-a-thon t-shirt.
Sacred Heart School, Robbinsdale
We had 90% of our students participate-roughly 200 students plus family members. Pledges brought in amounted to $46,530! (Our budgeted amount was $45,000.)
Shakopee Area Catholic School, Shakopee
The school estimated that about 2000 students, staff and family member participated. They met their budgeted amount by raising about $170,000!
St. Andrew Catholic School, Elk River
The school raised over $24,000!
St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Wayzata
The school had over 200 people participate in their rake-a-thon. The budgeted goal was $30,000 and they raised over $34,000!
St. Croix Catholic School, Stillwater
We do a Service Marathon. 333 students participated in fundraising; 358 participated in service activities. Amount raised = $82,000! A new part of the marathon for us this year was a “service bingo”. Each student received a bingo sheet with 25 squares. They were to write in age appropriate “service” activities that they did over a period of 3 weeks. The final big service activity made 26. (This related the service activities to the 26 miles of a running marathon.)
- The big service activity for students in K, 1 and 2 was a “Music Marathon” – visiting and singing at an area nursing home.
- The big service activity for 3rd grade was doing fall clean-up at a cemetery.
- The big service activity for 4th – 8th graders was participating in a United Way community Rake-A-Difference event by raking at homes of senior and disabled community members.
St. Edward Catholic School, Minneota
Our marathon raised $23,784.00! This included a 5K run and the Knights of Columbus had a pancake and sausage breakfast following the marathon.
St. Felix Catholic School, Wabasha
St. Felix School, Wabasha, held its annual Marathon Walk on Saturday, October 1, 2011. Over two hundred school, parish, and community members came out to support the school and partook in a 2.5 mile walk. The event was blessed with a beautiful fall morning, and all those in attendance continued to enjoy the wonderful weather with an outdoor lunch sponsored by the Knights of Columbus following the walk. All the festivities wrapped up a week of fun as classes brought in pledges and enjoyed activities such as a Fiesta Party, Pie in the Face, Movie Party, and more! St. Felix School had budgeted $9,500 for the 2011 Marathon and took in a total of $10,291 in pledges during our Marathon this year.
St. Francis of the Lakes School, Brainerd
Cartwheels to Raise Money for St. Francis School – Brainerd, October 19, 2011 – Maeve Pritchett was offered a challenge to earn $.50 for each cartwheel performed during the marathon fundraiser at her school. Scott and Ruthann Ray, parishioners and supporters of the school, funded this endeavor, and, along with many, contributed toward other student efforts in the marathon. Maeve completed 413 cartwheels, earning $206.50 for St. Francis School. Last year she did 80 cartwheels and raised $40.00. As of October 24, all students raised $26,910 in pledges toward a goal of $42,000. Students cleaned roadsides and school grounds, rode bikes, walked and Maeve performed cartwheels. All funds benefit the school.
St. Hubert Catholic School, Chanhassen
We had 675 students participate (or at least make a donation). The school community raised over $126,000 with $3,000 coming from matching gifts!
St. Jerome Catholic School, Maplewood
The school raised $14,500.00!
St. John Vianney School, Fairmont
The school raised $12,800!
St. John the Baptist School, Excelsior
St. Martin’s Lutheran School, Winona
From the folks at St. Martin’s in Winona: We had about 25 of our families represented ( 40 % of the school family population). We raised $1950 for our school. Enjoy the pictures!
St. Michael Catholic School, St. Michael
We held our Marathon on a school day this year so all students would have the availability to participate. 344 of our 351 students were present to join in on the Marathon events. An additional 125 parents/family members also participated. Our goal was to raise $80,000. We are at $79,731.90 with donations still coming in. Once all pledges are received, we will exceed our goal (we except to raise around $82,000 total). We receive a $1,000 donation from the Knights of Columbus to cover expenses. Some highlights of Marathon included 1) Our phyiscal education teacher dressed up as “Marathon Man” (a super hero) and giving students a ride along the Marathon route in a wheelbarrow; 2) Our Associate Pastor dressed up as the Pope and our Pastor gave him a ride in the “Priest/Pope Mobile” along the Marathon route (a decorated golf cart).
St. Michael Lakeside Catholic School, Duluth
The St. Michael Lakeside school community raised over $9100 for school programs through its workathon!
St. Rose of Lima School, Roseville
We had 190 marathon participants at Saint Rose of Lima this year. We met our budgeted goal of $50,000!
St. Stephen Catholic School, Anoka
The St. Stephen school community raised $68,500 to support school programs!
St. Theodore School, Albert Lea
We had about 90 students and about 35 adults, including some parents, staff, Knights and administration participate. We walked around Fountain Lake, which is approximately 5 miles. The Knights of Columbus helped with patrols and safety. We had two rest stops. At both they were given water plus a cookie at one and a banana at the other. It was a beautiful day for the walk. We left the school playground at 12:30 and finished about 2:15, shortly before dismissal. We collected $3808!
St. Thomas Aquinas School, International Falls
All but 6 students attended our marathon. Our Budget was $10,000, but we raised $15,200! This was nearly double last year’s effort. What was the difference? We gave prizes for the higest dollar amount collected, but we also gave prizes for the greatest number of pledges. With the addition of prizes for the number of pledges, we tapped students who would not normaly compete. Pledges of one dollar counted towards the pledge count and the number of smaller pledges added up. The final thing that made a difference was the dollar jump. The dollar jump is a piece of packing tape 10 feet long with a dollar taped to it every foot. Once a week, top pledge earners got to take a standing jump. However many feet they jump=dollars they won. The cash was counted out to them in front of the whole school with everyone count along. The kids got all fired up at the thought of cold hard cash. The furthest we had a student jump was 6 feet, (weighed down as they are in International Falls with snowmobile suits, boots, parka, choppers, hat, scarf, goggles, long underwares, ect.) The total dollar amount paid was about $100, but it grabbed the kids like no other prize.
St. Wenceslaus School, New Prague
We had 280 students and their parents participate. Our goal was 42,400 and we made 46,000! Parent volunteers from the Home and School Association can be seen sporting their t-shirts with the Marathon theme – “Another Day in Paradise”.” The Knights of Columbus served free hot dogs to all students, parents and teachers on Marathon day. As a prize for going more than 11 rounds on marathon day – students received 3 balls for the dunk tank to send teachers swimming!
