15 Years & Counting: the OLHCA Jog-A-Thon Marches On
Fr. Flanery addresses the student body on Jog-A-Thon Kickoff day
It is once again the time of year for the Jog-A-Thon to begin. This is the time when students go back to the traditional way crafter over the years: going door to door asking for donations to keep our school “running”, and to work on the upkeep of our facilities. As usual, Jog-A-Thon launched on March 7th, the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, patron of Catholic schools.
This Jog-A-Thon season welcomes some changes to the normal formula. Students are invited to supplement their usual fundraising practices by selling World’s Finest Chocolate bars. Additionally, the students have received the 15-Day Challenge: perform fundraising actions to fill up a 15 day calendar to turn in for a special (and surprise) reward. The t-shirt design contest is happening again this year. Students can make their own designs and the best will be used for the final design on May 2nd.
During the Jog-A-Thon kickoff, Fr. Flanery gave the students a talk about why we fundraise like this: not for teachers’ paychecks or to keep the heating high, but to give the students the rare gift of a good Catholic schooling. The teachers are joining the students in their efforts towards this goal, fundraising and even jogging with everyone else on May 2nd. Banter and heckling between staff have escalated, and the students are eagerly looking forward to the showdown between Mr. Eddy and Fr. Flanery on Jog-A-Thon day. Friendly competition flames between the participants as the students strive once more to earn a pizza party by being the highest earning class. The 6th and 12th grade classes look to defend their victory from last year, but face stiff competition from the Kindergarteners.
The school’s Jog-A-Thon fundraising Sundays, when students attend Mass in their school uniforms and solicit the parishioners for donations, will take place on March 10th and April 28th. The students look to follow in the footsteps of their many alumni and continue the years of effort to keep the school running. Over the past 15 years the Jog-A-Thons have raised $1,243,000; this year the students are aiming for the stars, looking to beat the record set in 2018 of nearly $120,000 raised. Remember, Students, to Pray, be Positive, and Persevere!
-Written by Joseph Cantelmi, 10th Grade
