By Danielle Kutchel
Devon Meadows Primary School students put their hearts and souls into the school’s most recent fundraiser, defying even the highest expectations to raise thousands of dollars.
On Friday 26 March the school held its annual colour run, with students from prep to grade six – as well as some enthusiastic teachers – running laps of the oval and sacrificing their clean white clothes as canvases for colour thrown by members of the parents’ association.
The end result was “an explosion of colour”, according to school council president Laine Kelsall, who said the fundraiser was the first the school of 264 students had run since Covid.
The event was initially intended to raise funds to replace the school’s defibrillator, which was stolen last year.
But with the final tally coming in at over $10,000, the school has more than enough left over for some school improvements – and a special surprise for students too.
“We’ll probably put the question to the kids of what they would like,” Ms Kelsall explained.
She said the kids have already put forward one particular item on their wishlist: a GaGa ball pit.
There are also plans to purchase athletic jerseys for students to wear during interschool sports competitions.
It’s the most money that Devon Meadows Primary School has ever raised in a single fundraiser, and Ms Kelsall said it was a testament to the spirit of the whole school community – from the parents and grandparents who supported the day, to the friends and distant relatives who donated.
“We just wanted enough to get a defib!” she laughed.
“We were absolutely staggered, $10,000 is mind-blowing to us.
“The kids had an absolute ball … they all came back full of colour and had a great time, so it was worth it.”
