JACKSON — The bad news was that when the WalkAmerica walk-a-thon began on a recent weekend, the sky was drizzling. The good news was that it waited until just about the end of the event to really start pouring.
"We had a good time anyway," said Rochelle Blum, a guidance counselor at the Goetz Middle School. "We walked and ate pizza and tried to just ignore the weather."
And despite the weather, the team from Goetz, which was made up of about a dozen students and another dozen teachers and staff members, managed to raise more than $3,000 for the March of Dimes.
The walk was cut short from 5 miles to 1.2 miles because of the weather, but not even the rain could stop the team members from enjoying the food and fun that surrounds the philanthropic event.
"We were ready to walk more, but before we knew, it there was a finish line in front of us," Blum said.
The students involved in the event really enjoyed themselves, Blum said, and took advantage of the face painting and pizza available.
"There was music and fun all around, and the kids danced the conga line and did face painting," she said. "Everyone had a good time. We’re happy that so many people helped us by contributing to this event."
This year’s contribution to the March of Dimes annual fund-raiser is just one of many contributions made by Goetz students and staff over the years. A team from Goetz participates in the walk-a-thon every year and Goetz students hold other fund-raisers during the year.
One of the more successful fund-raisers this year was the lollipop sale organized by the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and the Junior National Honor Society at Goetz.
Ida Elliott, the adviser for the honor society, and Blum, who is the adviser for the FBLA, said that sale raised about $900 for the charity.
A recent canister drive raised another $300 in just four weeks.
"That $300 is just from the spare change students tossed into the canisters," Blum said. "The students should be really proud of that."