Express Staff
smokyriverexpres.com
@SmokyRiverExprs
Five students at Ecole Routhier proved they have what it takes with a skipping rope.
They and several staff skipped to see who could last the longest, and the other students and staff cheered them on.
It was part of an assembly in the gym in the afternoon of May 8, to kick off the school’s annual Jump Rope for Heart fundraising event. The school has a goal to raise $10,000 for the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Alberta NWT & Nunavut.
“We have some incentives,” says Marie Gagnon, an educational assistant at Ecole Routhier and the event organizer.
The class that raises the most money as a percentage earns a free swim. If the school raises over $10,000, then some teachers will volunteer for pie-in-the-face duty, which the students sounded excited about.
There are also individual prizes for students, depending on how much they raise.
Two guests were part of the assembly, Heather Coney, the coordinator for fund development with the Grande Prairie office of the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Alberta NWT & Nunavut, and Robin Alisi, a volunteer for the Rotary International Exchange in Grande Prairie.
Coney noted that the school raised $12,500 in 2017, and to date, the accumulated total raised from 13 years is $136,171.
She also highlighted the importance of good health and the role of the Heart & Stroke Foundation.
“Jump Rope for Heart goes on in schools across Canada,” says Coney. “I talked about the need to be active, and to understand the symptoms of a heart attack or stroke. The earlier you catch it the higher the chances of survival.”
Coney had several videos for the students to watch, including one of children who’ve had to deal with heart-related issues.
Near the end, she answered students’ questions in English and Alesi answered the French students.
Check the Smoky River Express’ Facebook page for several videos of the assembly.
The school will host their Jump Rope for Heart event in the afternoon of May 25, weather permitting.
