ARARAT North Primary School students helped raise money for science class equipment on Friday by walking and running laps of the school grounds.
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The ‘Walk-a-thon’ was open to all students and their families to come and get involved to promote healthy living.
Students were able to walk or run laps of an approximately 500 metre course around the school and could top up on healthy fruit as they went.
Students had been busily getting sponsors for the day and there were prizes for those who did the most laps and the craziest costumes.
To make it as much fun as possible, students had been invited to wear their favourite AFL colours or clothing.
The students who were not into AFL could come with a crazy coloured hairstyle.
After the event students and families were invited to have a barbecue lunch.
Teachers manned checkpoints around the course to put a stamp on each student’s card for each lap they completed.
Ararat North physical education co-ordinator Alistair Johnson said the Walk-a-thon went really well.
“I don’t know how much money we raised. We’ll have to sit down and count it,” he said.
“We did have a lot of parents there.
“The kids had a great time and we walked for about 11am to 12:45.
“I think some of the kids did 17 laps, which is more than eight kilometres.”
Mr Johnson said the students were really keen.
“Some of them didn’t want to stop walking,” he said.
“We handed out Zooper Doopers, and we had fruit.
“Peaches fruit shop donated a heap of fruit so as they walked around they could grab and apple or an orange and eat that.
“At the end we had some businesses around town like the cinema give us vouchers, and Ararat Fitness Centre gave us six season passes to the outdoor pool for the family worth about $100.
“We gave them out so it was pretty good. The kids can take the whole family to the pool over summer for free.”
Some of the students made hats to look like Coke bottles, plates and cupcakes for the costume competition.
Mr Johnson said the Walk-a-thon raised money for Ararat North’s science program.
“I want to buy some microscopes and stuff like that,” he said.
“It’s science related, just for kids to use in science classes.”