Running for funds & fun

Three Lake Orion elementary schools held their annual Fun Run fundraisers on Sept. 23.
Paint Creek, Pine Tree and Orion Oaks all held Fun Runs, to raise money for their school PTOs, and at Orion Oaks, the school council.
At Paint Creek, this was the second year of the Fun Run, which had students getting pledges to run for an amount of time around a track set up in front of the school.
Last year Paint Creek raised $24,000, and this year their goal was $25,000, or $50 per student.
Chairperson Tara Scilkop, who organized the event with co-chair Sally Dishaw, said the Fun Run helps the PTO pay for things like assembly programs, field trip transportation and staff appreciation days.
At Pine Tree, in their third year of the Fun Run, $22,000 was their goal this year, after earning $19,000 last year.
‘The kids run for 25 minutes,? said chairperson Nancy Gutelius. ‘We are hoping to beat our goal…the kids have been training for a couple of weeks.?
At Orion Oaks, students raised $12,000 last year, and hoped to raise $15,000 in their fourth year of holding the Fun Run.
Chairperson Carol Turnbull said the council will donate 10 percent of the Fun Run profits at Orion Oaks for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Blanche Sims Elementary will hold their Fun Run on Sept. 30, with the theme ‘Eat Smart-Run Fast.?
Last year, Blanche Sims raised over $16,000. This year, five percent of the proceeds will be donated for hurricane victims.