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St. Elizabeth Seton School hosting Father’s Day Fun Run

Fundraising for a new playground

Families can celebrate Father’s Day with some outdoor fun and help raise money for a new playground at St. Elizabeth Seton School at the same time.

The elementary school is hosting its first Father’s Day Fun Run on June 18.

Early bird registration runs until May 1 for the three or five km walk/run at Kin Kanyon. People can register as a family or individually.

Principal Sinead Armstrong said the school’s playground for younger students attending the pre-kindergarten to Grade 5 school was removed last June to make way for new modular classrooms.

“We do have another playground on site that they can access. But it’s one playground for 360 kids so it’s busy,” Armstrong said about remaining playground that is geared to Grade 3 to 5 students.

The school community is working to raise $125,000 for the new playground that will have a Kindergarten to Grade 2 focus, although parts will be suitable for all elementary students.

Armstrong said the playground that was removed was installed 17 years ago. It was getting old and was about three years away from needing to be replaced so the new project is timely.

“We’re trying to make it as barrier free as possible to have that high level of accessibility.”

She said there are lots of families in Anders who use the school playgrounds and green space.

A design has been chosen and the goal is to install the new playground in the spring or summer of 2018.

So far $9,200 has been raised through a few other fundraising projects and a $5,000 donation from the school council.

Armstrong said no funding is available from Alberta Education for playgrounds and St. Elizabeth Seton, as a Catholic school, has restrictions on grants it can access.

“We aren’t able to take any money from Alberta Lottery Fund.”

She said if all goes well the school may look at organizing an annual run on Father’s Day or another run in the spring or fall.

To register for the run visit the Running Room at www.events.runningroom.com.

szielinski@www.reddeeradvocate.com