Students raise funds for PTO

Zooey Umstead hadn’t been outside of S.S. Palmer Elementary long on Thursday morning, but the excitement on her face was palpable.

“I can’t wait to race with my friends and have a lot of fun,” Umstead said.

She was steps away from the start of an obstacle course set up in the Palmerton park as part of the school’s sixth annual “Bomber Fun Run,” organized by the S.S. Palmer/Parkside parent-teacher organization.

The event is the culmination to a fundraiser by students in both buildings and features seven stations including a bounce house and hula hoop toss.

“All of the funds we raise go right back to the students,” event Chairwoman Tiffany Lakatosh said. “The PTO pays for things like Christmas gifts, field trips during the year, and assemblies. When students go from first to second grade, they also get a book which comes out of these funds.”

The annual event is one of the PTO’s largest fundraisers and routinely raises over $10,000. In addition to fundraising, the event promotes an active lifestyle.

“I think the kids like getting outside and getting to do things like the bounce house,” Lakatosh said. “These are things they may not get to do outside of this event. It keeps them moving, keeps them active.”

Miranda Brown, fifth-grader, said the bounce house was her favorite part of the event.

“It has two different parts so you can race your friends through it and that’s really cool,” Brown said.

In the past, students who have earned the most money got a chance to pie a teacher in the face in a separate, future event. This year, however, will have a different twist.

“This year, they’ll have a chance to cover teachers in silly string,” Lakatosh said. “I think it’s a great incentive during the fundraising.”

Brown agreed, saying the opportunity was definitely on her mind.

“That would be a lot of fun,” she said.

The event took place Thursday after being postponed last week due to rain.