Students at Helen Haller Elementary plan to get moving yet again for books.
The school’s annual Turkey Trot is set for Wednesday, Nov. 27, on the Sequim School District’s athletic field — where 500-plus students in grades pre-kindergarten-fifth grade will run, walk, wheel and, of course, trot for 30 minutes around the track.
Volunteer Tennille Bixby said the school’s Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) set a goal of $18,000 to support the school’s Six Books for Summer reading program where each student picks out six grade level-appropriate books to take home and read over the summer.
“It helps keep the summer reading slump away,” Bixby said.
Students have individual pages they can setup donations to go through, and the school has its own page at www.getmovin fundhub.com/register?school_uuid=5d6012e247419.
It can also be found at www.face book.com/HelenHallerPTO.
Donations are also accepted in-person through Nov. 27, at the school, 350 W. Fir St., with checks made to “Helen Haller PTO.”
Volunteers said they opt for the Turkey Trot over candy sales because they want to promote physical activity.
Any additional funds, they said, will support PTO programs, such as author visits and art programs.
Last year, the event raised about $9,300, and organizers anticipate a higher turnout with incentives called “Turkey Tickets.”
Each day, students receive tickets for registering, receiving donation goals, for each lap they run at the event and more that go towards a drawing for prizes, such as movie tickets, ice skating rink passes, and a pool party.
Other incentives include a ride home in a limousine or fire truck, and an obstacle course with physical education teacher Joclin Julmist.
Students run in two groups with pre-K-second grades going 8:30-9:30 a.m. Nov. 27, and third-fifth grades going from 9:45-10:45 a.m.
With questions, contact the PTO at SequimHHEPTO@gmail.com or 360-582-3200.
Kindergartners in Stephanie Grotzke-Nash’s class show their support for Helen Haller Elementary’s Turkey Trot holding signs and Turkey Tickets. Funds from the event help the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) purchase six books for each student, provide author readings and art programs at the school. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash
Friends Grace Minty and Mady Salazar walk hand-and-hand around the track during Helen Haller Elementary’s Turkey Trot last year. Hundreds of students like them will participate in the event again on Nov. 27 to help raise funds for the school’s Six Books for Summer program. Sequim Gazette file photo by Matthew Nash
Friends Grace Minty and Mady Salazar walk hand-and-hand around the track during Helen Haller Elementary’s Turkey Trot last year. Hundreds of students like them will participate in the event again on Nov. 27 to help raise funds for the school’s Six Books for Summer program. Sequim Gazette file photo by Matthew Nash
