Students at many schools across Horry County have been participating in the annual Jump Rope for Heart event, raising money for the American Heart Association while honoring those they hold dear.
Palmetto Bays Elementary School was jumping rope Friday, to honor 7-year-old Koby Christopher Fields, a student who has had two open-heart surgeries. Physical education instructor Deborah Wolfe said the school has raised almost $5,200 to date and hope to add to that total over the next few weeks.
Wolfe said the event featured four jump rope marathons, with the fifth-graders jumping nonstop for more than 12 minutes.
Koby Christopher Fields gets a teddy bear bigger than him from PE Teacher Deborah Wolf during the jump-a-thon. Palmetto Bays Elementary raised more than $5,000 during their annual Jump Rope for Heart at Friday, one of many of these events happening over the last few months at area schools. This year, Palmetto Bays honored Fields, a 7-year-old student who has had two open heart surgeries. Photo by Steve Jessmore
Chenoah Strickland, a second-grader, won the first-place Lifesaver Award for raising $733. Koby won second place with $395, and third-grader Hudson Hale, brother of former event honoree Evan Hale, took third place.
“We are so grateful in these economic times to know that we raised this much and commend the students, families and faculty for their support,” Wolfe said.
Schools hold their events on different dates. St. James Elementary and Socastee Elementary held theirs this month, while Aynor Elementary will hold its on Feb. 24.
Last year, Aynor was the top fundraising school in the state and in the top 30 of all U.S. schools, with student Carson Andrew named top fundraiser in the nation. This year’s goal is $30,000, and the event continues to honor Mary Kate Lovell, 6, who died unexpectedly two years ago from cardiomyopathy.
Several schools held events back in the fall: Seaside Elementary on Oct. 31 raised more than $11,000. In November, North Myrtle Beach Elementary raised $2,660, while North Myrtle Beach Primary School raised more than $4,100.
Jon Hoffnagle, P.E. teacher at the primary school, said their event involves the community because of the country’s obesity problem. He adds incentives for the students each year, which have included having pies thrown in his face, coloring his hair purple and dressing like a woman and a ballerina.
Such efforts certainly emphasize the fun in fundraising.
E-Mail
Print
The Sun News Terms & Conditions and Commenting Policies can be reviewed here.