Central Games raising funds for PTO, school needs

From lemonade stands and bake sales to pizza spirit nights, the students, teachers and families of Vestavia Hills Elementary Central are hard at work this week to raise funds for their school.

Central Games was hosted for the first time last year, PTO fundraising chair Ruth Bean said, after the PTO recognized that the outsourced fundraisers weren't bringing as much back to the school as they could if done in-house.

“We looked at it and thought with community donors and the volunteers of the PTO, we could put on a fundraiser and keep all the funds at Central,” Bean said.

The Olympics-themed fundraising effort began on Friday, Sept. 22, and will formally end on Friday, Sept. 29, though some efforts will continue through the weekend.

Throughout the week, classes have held their own fundraisers, including bake sales, lemonade stands, doughnut sales and other activities.

Students were given incentives to raise money, including a pin for bringing in $5, a t-shirt for bringing $75, and being memorialized on the "Wall of Medalists" for bringing in $150.

Bean said the PTO hopes to have met its $70,000 fundraising goal by Friday, and that as of Wednesday they were more than halfway there.

But more than just the money the Games provide for the PTO's efforts — which last year included buying 50 Chromebooks, 30 virtual reality headsets and two Gaga Ball pits on top of the PTO budget — the Central Games give students a chance to get invested in their school.

“At this age we definitely want to raise a lot of money, but we recognize that they are very young,” she said. “We want to make it about raising money, but also about school spirit."

On Thursday, Donato's Pizza will be offering a $4 coupon to help out the effort, and the Shell gas station on U.S. 31 will continue to donate $0.03 per gallon through the weekend.

Bean said the PTO is grateful to the several corporate sponsors who have helped pushed toward the goal.

“Without the help of our community sponsors, we could not raise as much money as we do,” she said.

Are you a VHEC parent with photos of your student's fundraising efforts? Send them to efeatherston@starnespublishing.com for a chance to be featured in a future article.