The Tara school was this year's top fundraiser for the 2024 Rotary Winterama, raising a total of $7501, contributing in part to new accessible playground equipment. Photo submitted

Eight area schools celebrated their Rotary Winterama accomplishments on March 25 and 26, 2024 with Rotary's very own Bearama there to spur them on.

In a recent media release from the 2024 Rotary Winterama Committee, all told the eight schools raised $28,000, with many students seeking pledges for working toward their kilometre goals in the Cross-Canada Challenge.

"This Rotary service project aimed to support students and schools, and all money pledges went to their school projects, primarily related to playground equipment," read the release.

Arran-Tara Elementary School (ATES) topped all schools this year, raising over $7500. Tara Kindergarten student Flora will get an accessible swing for her and others to use, thanks to the community-mindedness of the young Tara fundraisers and the generosity of the school community.

Similarly, student fundraisers at GC Huston Public School raised $6600 toward their new playground project, which is expected to be arriving soon.

Student fundraisers from other schools also earned impressive pledge amounts to spur them along in their cross-Canada adventure, leading to thousands of dollars going toward playground activities and school nutrition programs.

The Southampton, Port Elgin and Tara Rotary clubs organized and promoted the event and were impressed with the “service above self” shown by area students and staff.

Five of the eight schools managed to fulfill their Cross-Canada challenge and log the distance from St John's to Vancouver during the month of February, recording their kilometres each day on NPX Innovation's Winterama website.

GC Huston virtually reached the Pacific Ocean first with Northport Elementary School just days behind them. A week later St Joseph's School finished with Saugeen District Senior School (SDSS) and École Port Elgin Saugeen Central School (ÉPESCS) not far behind. The three remaining schools, while they didn't didn't quite log the distance in February, have since completed the journey.

Top kilometre classes for each school earned a recess activity bucket full of playground equipment and students who reached 25, 50 or 75 kilometre benchmarks were awarded individual prizes from Bearama himself.

All told GC Huston Public School raised $6636 for the 2024 Rotary initiative. Photo submitted

École Port Elgin Saugeen Central School raised a total of $3115 for the 2024 Rotary Winterama. Photo submitted

St Joseph's top class, pictured here with Rotary's Bearama, received a basket of playground equipment. Photo submitted

Saugeen District Senior School raised $1811 for the 2024 Rotary Winterama. Photo submitted

The top class from Amabel-Sauble Community School received a basket of playground equipment for their efforts raising funds for the 2024 Rotary Winterama. Photo submitted

Northport Elementary School raised $3714 for the 2024 Winterama. Photo submitted

Hepworth Central Public School raised $3675 for the 2024 Rotary Winterama. Photo submitted