By VERNON ROBISON
Moapa Valley Progress
Around 200 people packed into the Moapa Recreation center gym on Friday night for the Perkins Elementary School Fall Festival. The fundraiser event was organized by the school’s Parent Teacher Organization.
“I’m amazed at the turnout and grateful to the community for so much support of the school,” said Perkins PTO President Wendy Jensen. “It has been a great success.”
The Fall Festival was a new fundraiser put on by the PTO this year. But it is not without precedent. Jensen said that the idea of a fall carnival fundraiser had been done by the school years ago, but was eventually discontinued for a time.
Last week’s event revived that old tradition; and in a big way. There were 13 different game booths in which kids could participate. These included ring tosses, cake walks, fishing for prizes, eating donuts from a string and many more.
Even the famous pocket lady made an appearance at the event, inviting kids to fish through her many pockets for a prize. Ramona Crane who is the pocket lady has a long history at Perkins Elementary School. She was the school’s very first “lunch lady”. She worked in that position from the first day the school was open and continued there for 18 years.
In addition there was a photo booth, bake sale, chili cook-off and a pie contest.
A raffle was held offering prizes donated by many local businesses including Ace Hardware, American Family Insurance, Dalley’s Barber Shop, Blaine Equipment, The Front Porch, High Desert Furniture, Home Hardware, Lin’s Market, McKesson Realty/Clea Whitney, MD Photography, Republic Services, Lance Robertson DDS, Sage Health, Eagle View Contractors, Smith’s, 2DA9Z, Kenny Marshall and Thunderstick Tactics.
The funds raised at the event will be used for programs or equipment needed at the school. After everything was finished, and all the money was counted, the organization raised just under $2000 in the event.
“We will have the flexibility to help out on whatever is needed when it is needed to make the school better,” Jensen said.
