Walkathon, What is it? 

Walkathon is the Landels PTA’s major fundraiser each year. Students and their families will collect donations in advance of the event via our online fundraising platform. You’ll receive an email from the fundraising platform when it’s time to get started.

PTA makes sure every student and staff member get a special, free Walkathon T-shirt. Friends and Family are also given the opportunity to purchase a shirt, online or at the event.

Walking starts during the school day so that every student can be included. All students are encouraged to come back to the field to continue walking after school, with a responsible adult.

The PTA will help motivate the students with contests and prizes related to fundraising goals and number of laps walked.

Volunteers

Volunteers will first sign in at the main office on the day of the walkathon if they will be on campus during the school day. They will also check in at the PTA Volunteer table to get a volunteer vest, instructions and assignment.  

Volunteers can sign up in advance to help for specific roles and time slots, via our Konstella sign up form (Watch Konstella for an email kicking off sign ups)

Volunteers can show up the day of and check in with the volunteer coordinator to see if there are any last minute needs.

Walkathon Course

The general walkathon course will be a ⅕ mile loop on the Landels field.  Entry and Exit of the course will take place near the 3rd base side of the baseball field.  

There will be an additional Accessible Course marked off on the blacktop which will also have its own designated lap counter to support our students, friends and families that need a more stable surface than our sports field or that want to join their friends on this alternate route.

The gopher holes on the field are a serious hazard and care should be taken when on the field.

Students typically get more exercise at walkathon than what they normally do. Please have them start hydrating and fueling their bodies properly a few days before, and remind them to bring and use their water bottles during the event.

Concessions and Food

Food trucks will arrive on campus afterschool and be available until the end of the Walkathon.

PTA Concessions and Gear Sale will start after school and will have snacks, Pizza and Landels Gear available for sale.

Fundraising and Donations

Prior to the event, students gather sponsors who pledge per lap or a flat donation (i.e., fixed dollar amount) for their efforts.  Please help your child collect pledges.

We have an exciting online platform for donations, which allows you to share your student’s donation page around the world.  It's called 99Pledges.

What is 99Pledges?
99Pledges, our online pledge system, is at https://app.99pledges.com/fund/landelswalkathon2024.  You’ll receive an email to access your students personal fundraising page. This system will allow our students to request and collect donations from friends and family who would like to pay online with a credit card.  Each child can create a custom video or image and share their personal web page with potential donors via email or social media.  Donors simply click the link and make a pledge in a few easy steps.  Grown ups and students can monitor progress toward their fundraising goals and easily send thank-you emails from the site.  99Pledges is private and secure, so no one can get to your child’s page unless they have your unique URL.                  

Should I use online 99Pledges, the paper Pledge Form, or both to collect pledges?
It’s completely up to you and what works best for your friends and family members.  If a donor wants to pay with a credit card, they need to make that donation online. If a donor wants to give you cash or a check, you need to turn those pledges in with a paper Pledge Form.

We will also have participation and fundraising challenges to help encourage our students to collect pledges and to generate excitement.

Why support the Walkathon?

The money we raise directly supports our school. Field Trips, Assemblies, Classroom supplies, Playworks (aka Coach Joe, a conflict resolution and leadership program) and more.  Please get involved: help your student collect pledges, volunteer, make a donation and attend the event!

Lap Prize Process

Students will be encouraged to take a break after every 5 completed laps to stop and pick up a prize.  

Lap Prizes stop at 50 Laps, but students are welcomed to keep going. Please note that 5 laps = 1 mile, so help your student to stay safe by suggesting water and snack breaks and making sure they don’t over-exert themselves.

Timeline

  • 3 Weeks Before: Fundraising Email Goes out to participant families, Announcement of Fundraising and Participation Contests to Students

    • If your family doesn’t receive the email with a link to your student’s fundraising page, reach out to walkathon@landelspta.org

  • Day Of:

    • T-Shirt distribution from PTA to students in classrooms

      • Classes as per normal; lots of volunteers on campus setting up field and decorations

  • 1 PM Kinders Walk with Their Teachers

    • 1pm Quick Welcome from PTA to students on blacktop

      • Kinders walk course, start earning prizes

    • 1:20 Teachers with help from Room Parents will record final “school day lap count” for all students in their class before dismissal

    • 1:45 Kinder Regular Dismissal from School

    • 1:50 Kinder Students can return with responsible grown up or their aftercare programs

      • Adults on campus must bring ID or volunteer badge to sign in at the main office. They can then check in at PTA volunteer check-in table to see where we may need some help

  • Grades 1-5 Walk with Teachers 1:45-2:30

    • 1:45 pm Quick welcome from PTA to students on blacktop

  • 2:30 Course Break!  

    • Course is cleared as students finish the lap they’re on and Kinders will have a water break.

    • Grades 1-5 Students will return to their classroom for regular dismissal

  • 2:40 if course has been fully cleared, Kinders are welcome to start walking again

  • 2:50/2:55 Grades 1-5 Regular School Dismissal and post-school walking begins for students with a signed PTA participation waiver and a responsible adult present.

    • Volunteers can stop by the PTA volunteer check-in table to see what needs we have or sign up for a time slot in advance on Konstella.

  • 4 pm  - If there’s any Fundraising related activity, this will happen here.

  • 6PM Walkathon and DJ End

  • Clean up!

After Walkathon:

Fundraising ends and online funds will be automatically collected; offline pledges should be turned in; Status to Fundraising Goal will be announced; any earned prizes for participation contests will be redeemed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can we bring family? 

Absolutely! We encourage you to come have fun and support Landels. We’ll need lots of volunteers and we also encourage alumni, friends and family to come afterschool to help cheer for our students.