Coins for Cancer

Wanted to share with you some fantastic news that is coming out of Prairie Elementary today about their recent “Coins for Cancer” event. This year the final reveal with Prairie wasn’t possible, but Wayne still was a sport to get pied in the face for the total amount raised.

This was a 2 week effort for Prairie to raise awareness and funds. First came the education of what cancer is, why they raise the money, and answer lots of questions. Staff (January 17 – 21) could pay $20 to wear jeans all week. This $20 will buy 5 food vouchers for family members staying at the Sanford Castle. Along with wearing jeans, they asked staff members to wear colors that represent different cancers as follows:

              (Monday- Just jeans; no colors)

              Tuesday- Yellow for Sarcoma/Bone Cancer 

              Wednesday- Lime Green for Lymphoma 

              Thursday- Orange for Leukemia 

              Friday- Gold for Childhood Cancer

*During this week students learned about different stories and childhood cancers. Over $1,605. was raised from staff to support this effort.

Then the week of the January ​24th – 28th was the actual fundraiser called “Coins for Cancer”  Kids brought in coins all week, dressed up each day in a special theme day, and worked at youth wrestling events to collect donations.  The CMN sent us the hot air balloon symbol to use. Some “balloon papers” were used to decorate and hang up in the main Prairie hallway.

The community donated to the cause as well – Worthington Optimists Club, Early Risers Kiwanis, BTU, Jim and Diane Lutmer, and Renee Giese donated a total of $1,358.21. The grand total collected was $10,963.16 for Sanford Children’s Hospital and the Children’s Miracle Network of Sioux Falls. These funds will be awarded to Sanford on February 21 by Meg and Jeff Spartz in Sioux Falls. Meg detailed the many blessings of funding options from Jeff’s cancer journey a few years ago.

Way to go, Prairie! Fight cancer!