West Columbia, SC - Longtime Springdale Elementary Physical Education teacher Cindy Roof Wilkerson always encouraged students to stay active for good health.
That message was on full display Thursday during Springdale’s annual Fund Run, as every student -- along with several teachers, staff and administrators -- ran, walked, skipped, hopped and did the limbo for roughly 1.5 miles around the school track.
Wilkerson passed away in 2012, but the Fund Run that she started in 2010 to promote good health and community partnerships goes on as a tribute to her mission. The Fund Run raises money for school equipment that keeps young bodies and minds strong.
“The Fund Run is a yearly tradition that encourages healthy eating, active lifestyles and allows all stakeholders to work together to achieve goals for Springdale,” said Principal Hope Vrana, who was out cheering her students around the track on a breezy fall morning.
Since the event’s founding, more than $60,000 has been raised -- nearly $13,000 this year alone -- to buy PE and playground equipment, scooters, basketball goals for the gym, and more. The Cindy Roof Wilkerson Foundation, a 501-C3 organization, also supports the event, donates playground equipment and sponsors children for summer camps.
