Los Alamitos Walk-A-Thon raises more than $70,000 for much-needed school programs

By Kymberli W. Brady

Staff Writer

Typically, Saturday mornings find families sleeping in after a week filled with homework and late hours at the office –but not on Oct. 4. Hundreds of eager children, teachers and parents donned comfortable shoes and gathered together at Los Alamitos Elementary School for their annual walk-a-thon, all in an effort to raise much-needed funds to offset school program costs.

With painful cutbacks affecting almost every aspect of the public school system, the money couldn't have come at a better time. According to walk-a-thon chairs Susan Oneal and Wendy Walker, more than $70,000 was raised at the event. The turnout was high as 500 of the 620 students participated and walked a combined 5,900 miles.

“All things considered, we were absolutely thrilled,” commented Principal Lisa Gonzales. “It looks like we brought in over $70,000. With the economy, our school is now experiencing what other schools experienced much earlier and it just started hitting many of our families. In times like this, we're just not sure of what people can financially support. So, we figured $56,000 was a more realistic goal. We were surprised and thrilled with the numbers. I was looking for a typo because it seemed too good to be true.”

New to the silent auction this year were themed classroom gift baskets. “It was a great idea,” Gonzales noted. “We found that each went for an average of $150-$175. It was definitely a new change that we will continue in the future.”

Gonzales attributed most of the success to the volunteers, especially four key parents, including Tamara Snowden, Susan Oneal, Wendy Walker and Lynne Wach. The funds will go to the PTA to offset more than 25 programs, including reading labs, hands-on science, technology, music, and field trips. “We even had an anonymous parent come forward with a matching donation of $5,000 for technology,” added Gonzales. “To have this great of a response during what this valley is still considering a recession is phenomenal,”