ROCHELLE – St. Paul Lutheran School in Rochelle hosted its fifth annual Fun Run Friday morning.
The fun run is an event that takes place each year for kids in grades first through eighth at Atwood Park near the school. The event includes different activities ranging from a slack rope station, a milk jug relay, tire flip and a bouncy house obstacle course.
This is an event that helps raise funds for the school while also getting the kids out of the classroom for the day.
“This is a good chance to get the kids out and get them activated in raising money for their curriculum, while also getting them outside to be active,” explained Brandi Johnson, PTL president.
Funds earned through previous years’ fun runs have been used to purchase new science curriculum, Chromebooks and general school improvements.

A smaller scale fun run was also held for the pre-K and kindergartners in the grass area outside the school.

The students participating in the run reach to obtain their own sponsors for the event and then come out and show support by running for their sponsor. This event features similar events and activities each year and the kids look forward to it every year.
“The kids always really look forward to it, they love being outside and out of the classroom and they look forward to getting the sponsorships and then coming out here and running for their sponsors,” Johnson added.
The idea for this event started five years ago when the officials brainstormed different ways to fundraise that would help get the kids more involved and more active. Special T-shirts for the event were also designed by some of the students at the school.

One thing about the event that school officials enjoy is how everyone comes together to get involved for this including the parents.
“That is another fun thing is that everyone gets involved, the teachers, the principal and even the parents around here come out and help out all day long. And we really appreciate that because then the kids are involved with something with their parents and with their teachers and their school,” school employee Rhonda Lodico said.