Students stroll beyond hamlet

Millarville students are walking their way towards more opportunities to explore their surroundings in a biannual event next week.

Millarville Community School staff and students, as well as interested community members, will participate in a five-kilometre walk-a-thon May 27 to raise money so students can attend field trips with as little cost to families as possible.

The event starts at 12:30 p.m. where participants will walk throughout the community.

“It’s a great opportunity to get out into our community and invite all of our families to come out and watch,” said Jolene Friesen, president of the Society for Millarville School Fundraising. “It’s our biggest fundraising event of the year.”

Friesen said several stations will be set up where participants will be doused in brightly-coloured cornstarch powder, similar to the Color Me Rad runs across North America. They will be cheered on by mascots from the Okotoks Dawgs and Calgary Stampeders.

“The kids are going to be so thrilled that we are not only allowing them to get super dirty, but that we are the ones encouraging it and the teachers will all be getting powdered and super dirty,” she said.

In the meantime, the kindergarten to Grade 8 students are keeping track of how much exercise they’ve been getting since May 9 while collecting pledges from the community, said Friesen.

“The kids are really excited about it,” she said. “Our school is quite active. Even on a day-to-day basis they do walks around the hamlet and outdoor pursuits every Friday. It’s a strong component of the programming there.”

Friesen said the society has been raising money to offset the cost of field trips for several years. Field trips can range anywhere from $25 per student for a trip to the Glenbow Museum in Calgary to $120 for an overnight trip to Edmonton.

“Technology and field trips are two of the biggest ways we see the money being effective,” Friesen said. “It’s about having that accessible for all students regardless of their ability to compensate for field trips.”

Millarville Community School principal Glenn Gibson said the Society for Millarville School Fundraising takes a lot of pressure off of families to pay for these trips.

He said when he taught in Calgary, families were paying around $200 per student each year for field trips.

“Every class goes on field trips multiple times throughout the year,” he said. “Our outdoor pursuits program is also sponsored where students go backcountry camping twice a year. There’s very little cost to families.”

Gibson said the school also hosts other fundraisers throughout the year to offset the costs. This year students sold plant bulbs, seeds and Purdy’s chocolates, he said.

With the recent wildfires that have devastated Fort McMurray, Friesen expects the level of giving could be impacted with so many people donating to those who lost their homes.

The first walk-a-thon in 2014 raised $6,300.

In addition to raising money, students are collecting used and dried-up markers throughout the region to send to Crayola to be recycled, fitting in with the coloured cornstarch component of the walk-a-thon, said Friesen. Those interested in pledging students can contact the school at 403-938-7832.

Participants meet at the school just before 12:30 p.m. on May 27.