Run with a ruler: PTSA fun run ?raises $80,000

Published 11:28 am Thursday, October 22, 2015

Children and parents raised more than $80,000 for their PTSA when they gathered on Thursday, Oct. 15, for the Orange Ruler Fun Run at Snoqualmie Elementary School.

The event was a collaboration between the cchool, PTSA, and Orange Ruler, an educational fundraising organization.

Diana Reul-Shapiro, PTSA president, said that the group had done fun run events in the past but after hearing about the Orange Ruler from schools in the Issaquah School District, she thought it would be a good opportunity to work with them.

Chris Eastwood, co-founder of Orange Ruler, was at the event on Thursday helping out with organization. Coming from a traditional product sales fundraising background, he wanted to find a better method to raise money for schools.

“I thought there must be a better way to raise money that’s more team-building, fitness-oriented and just a great experience for everyone involved,” Eastwood said.

Cindy Conlon, vice president of fundraising for the PTSA, was happy with the way the event turned out.

“It’s been really easy and fun and it’s been very well received by both kids and parents,” Conlon said.

Thursday’s fun run wasn’t the only day for fundraising. Working with Orange Ruler, participants were able to start taking donations online in the weeks leading up to the run.

“Everything is done online so parents can see things live, real-time updates. I think that was a huge part of the success.” Reul-Shapiro said.

Eastwood said a lot of the organization of these of events comes down to finding volunteers — a typical event takes 800 to 1,500 volunteer hours. This year the Snoqualmie Elementary PTSA was able to more than double its previous fundraising record.

The fun run itself is more of a celebration for all of the work the kids did.

“Today is just kind of a celebration of all (the students’) hard fundraising efforts,” Reul-Shapiro said. “As far as our fundraising goes we have never brought in more than about $40,000 and we are currently at $83,000 and money is still coming in.”

“Miss V’s Mini Cops” were the first group of their section of students to get out on to the field Thursday for the fun run.

Costumed students in the Snoqualmie Elementary School Orange Ruler fun run Oct. 15.