Nativity Catholic School students “rake in” pledges to support their school

A sure sign of the fall season has always been leaves raked into big piles. In times past, the smell of burning leaves meant the onset of winter wasn’t far behind. Nowadays, especially in urban areas like Fargo, leaves are raked, bagged, and removed to be used as mulch or compost, or left on the ground instead of burned. It’s a big chore, and one that, many elderly people especially, can no longer do. Students at Nativity Catholic School in Fargo wanted to do a service project and raise funds for teacher and student support at the same time, so on Oct. 25, they grabbed their rakes and went to work.

“We have done a color-run fundraiser in the past, but this year we decided to try a Rake-a-Thon instead and combine service and fundraising,” said Kimbra Amerman, principal at Nativity school. “We had seven household yards and the Presentation Sister’s yard to rake that day. We found the yards through referrals of need, mostly through the church.  We had three buses running to transport students, teachers, and parents during the day.”

Students gathered pledges from family and friends, and Scherling photography of Fargo printed and donated yard signs for the students to leave behind after raking. Sister Stella Olson, who heads the Union Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (PBVM) and their Presentation Center and convent in Fargo, says the efforts by the kids were appreciated, especially since the leaves would have probably just stayed on the ground covering the center’s property throughout the winter or mulched.

“I’m not sure who had more fun, the parents or the students as they flew into the piles of leaves for pictures,” said Sister Stella. “To have two busloads of kids smiling on our property brought great joy to all the sisters. Kids are at the heart of all the sisters that taught in the elementary schools of the diocese, and we all thank them for their time.”

The fundraiser was arranged by Nativity’s Parent Teacher Organization, and the money raised is used for teacher start-up funds, supplies for classrooms, field trips, teacher appreciation, extra curriculum items, and general support for teachers and students.