Garden School To Hold 10th Walk-A-Thon

The Garden School's 10th annual Walk-A-Thon, sponsored by the school's Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) will take place on Tuesday, May 13. This event is one of the largest and most important fundraisers of the year for the school. All monies raised by the PTA go back to Garden School.

The original walk was the idea of a group of parents wanting to make a major impact on the fundraising activities, as well as on the life of the school. Fifty students, parents, and faculty gathered on May 24, 1998, a rainy Sunday morning, and walked through the Jackson Heights community surrounding the school. The original Walk-A-Thon and the three that followed funded the complete renovation of the school library.

Today, the walk is held on the second Tuesday in May and the entire Garden School community of close to 400 people participates. Walk-A-Thon day is a festival at the school. It opens with a last minute flurry of registrations and raffle purchases. Goody bags and tee shirts are handed out and the Walk-A-Thon takes off. The Walk-A-Thon follows a route through the community, complete with police escort, and returns in time for lunch. An assembly follows where prizes donated to the Walk are raffled off. The day ends with a "Make Your Own Ice Cream Sundae" table for all.

This event is the largest fundraiser held by the PTA each year. The aim of the event is to bring in much needed monies that will go towards the PTA's annual donation to the school. The money donated to the school usually goes toward a special project which tuition money does not cover. Some of the PTA's accomplishments achieved over the last years include:

• Ongoing collection of funds for renovation of the Science Department

• Installation of padding and air conditioning system in the Gymnasium

• Funding for the renovation of Garden School Library

• Funding towards the Garden School van.

• Yearly contribution to the Lower School Halloween Party

• Yearly contribution to the Student Council

• Funding toward the Year Book and the Senior Class.

The Walk-A-Thon tee shirt front is designed by a Garden School student through a school-wide contest in which everyone, lower and upper school students alike, is encouraged to submit a design. The winning design is selected by Mrs. Prio, Garden School art instructor, and a group of teachers.

Donations of raffle prizes, goody bag items, pledges and tee shirt sponsorships all help to make the walk a success. The PTA instituted a program whereby businesses can donate anywhere from $250 to $1,000 to have their names printed on the back of the Walk-A-Thon tee shirt. Sponsors as of April 14 include Capital One Bank (North Fork Bank), State Warehouse Distributors, Delgado Travel, Jahn's, Pollos a la Brasa Mario (83rd and 37th), Mastic Spa, Christos Steakhouse (Astoria), Dr. Miracles, Kinn Real Estate Counselors, Transunion America, Uncle Peters, United Staffing Registry, Inc., RTI Shelving Systems and Culinary Concepts. Garden School families also sponsor the tee shirts.

Items for the goody bags donated by various companies and stores include Walker Shortbread, Herr's, McDonalds, Commerce Bank, John's Grocery Store and many more. Raffle items have been donated by New York City Apartments and Jacqueline Quinn, Quinn NY. Local restaurants and many families and friends contribute raffle items as well. Also sought are product samples, promotional items, snacks, water, pencils and key chains for the goody bags that each participating student receives and raffle prizes such as gift certificates, gift baskets, sporting event tickets, tee shirts, memorabilia, autographed items, concert tickets, CDs, hats and memberships.

Parents of Garden School students pool their resources for these pledges, sponsors and donations and volunteer to make their Walk-A-Thon a success. Not only do they donate raffle items, get pledges and sponsor, but they also give of their time to put together the bags, organize and help on the day of the walk. Parents of students past and present and alumni support the efforts of the PTA to make the Walk-A-Thon a success. Any company that would like to support the event or anyone with a donation for the raffle or the goody bags, can contact the school for any additional information. All donations are tax deductible.

As an independent school, Garden School is a nonprofit organization, with a 501 (c ) 3 designation, Tax ID number 11-163-1783. Garden School, founded in 1923 and located in Jackson Heights, serves Nursery to 12th grade, with a population of 400 students. The annual Garden School Walk-A-Thon's success is integral to the continued support of the school's strategic objectives and in meeting its mission for each and every student.

For more information, call Martha Palacio, Garden School PTA president, 718-335-6363, pta@gardenschool.org or www.gardenschool.org.