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Stadium Drive hosts fifth annual Pink Day
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Neighbors | Submitted.Stadium Drive Elementary School students planted 500 pink tulip bulbs in front of the school as part of the Pink Day event.
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Neighbors | Submitted.Stadium Drive Elementary School kindergarten students made hearts with their hands during the Pink Day event at the school.
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Neighbors | Submitted.Stadium Drive Elementary School students posed with a banner they made as part of the Pink Day event at the school.
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Neighbors | Submitted.Stadium Drive Elementary School students presented a check for $500 that was raised by the school's PTA to the Joanie Abdul Breast Cancer Center.
By TIM CLEVELAND
Stadium Drive Elementary School its fifth annual Pink Day on Oct. 3, with the entire student body and staff participating in the event that helps raise money to fight cancer.
“In previous years, we made donations to Akron Children’s Hospital and to the American Cancer Society,” Principal Jim Goske said. “It was started to raise both awareness and money for cancer. We try to make it a fun event that makes our kids aware of ways they can help those fighting cancer.”
Goske said students and staff planted 500 pink tulip bulbs in the front of the school in honor of those who have fought and are fighting cancer. Each student came outside and planted a bulb. The staff members donated pink items that were put together and raffled off as baskets. The basket raffle raised $1,693. Students were asked to bring in a $1 donation and to wear pink – through those donations an additional $408.50 was raised, for a total of $2,101.50.
“This was by far the most money we have ever raised,” Goske said. “This year, all of the money is being donated to the family of Vincent Massacci, a third-grade student at Robinwood Lane who was recently diagnosed with throat cancer. We saw it as a great opportunity to help another Boardman family, and to do something nice for other people. Also, our PTA coordinated a T-shirt fundraiser. X-Pert Designs made a special T-shirt that students were able to purchase. Our PTA donated all of the money raised throughout the T-shirt sales [$500] to the Joanie Abdu Breast Cancer Center.”
Goske said Pink Day was a good opportunity to educate the students about cancer.
“The education process for the children is about cancer awareness in general,” he said. “We don’t get into specific types of cancer, but use it as an opportunity to teach our kids that cancer can affect everyone, and that this is a way we can help those dealing with cancer. Again, we want our kids to show support for and help others in anyway we can.”
Goske said the event came off very well and was a complete success.
“I felt the event was very successful,” he said. “The fact that we raised and were able to donate the amount of money that we did to a Boardman family speaks volumes for the generosity of our families and staff members. It was a great opportunity to come together to do something kind for someone else.”