A socially distanced Panther Prowl walk-a-thon brought in more than $5,000 for Christ the Divine Teacher Catholic Academy in Aspinwall, with students taking advantage of the outdoor fundraiser to enjoy music, bubbles and a few laps around the park.
The walk-a-thon, in its second year, was hosted Sept. 17 at Aspinwall Riverfront Park for students in kindergarten through eighth grade.
“We had a great day,” said Katie Lovett, director of marketing. “The kids created their own competitions amongst themselves as to who could do the most laps.”
Originally scheduled for May, the event was postponed during the covid-19 school shutdown.
The fundraiser had students solicit pledges for the number of laps they would complete around the park’s trail.
To abide by safety guidelines, Lovett said the students were split into two groups to participate in the walk.
“I had a fun time running around the park with my friends,” fourth-grader Nadia Rossey said. “It was so fun to be outside at the park to support my school.”
Donations will continue to be accepted through the end of the month.
CDTCA Principal Mark Grgurich said the fundraiser allows the school to incorporate its surroundings.
“The riverfront park is a gem to our community, and we’re thankful to have access to its beautiful location,” he said.
The fundraiser marked the end of the second week back in school for CDTCA students. The first day of the new year was Sept. 8, with about 80 percent of the school’s 181 students returning for in-person classes. The remainder of the students chose full-time remote instruction.
