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Southwest Elementary School students and staff participated in a color fun run on Friday, serving as the conclusion to the annual PTA-organized, homegrown direct donation Wild, Wild Southwest “Under the Sea” fundraiser week. The campaign kicked off on Oct. 8 with three schoolwide pep rallies. By Tuesday morning, Oct. 12, the original $20,000 goal was met. PTA then “doubled the bubble” with a new goal of $40,000, only to be blown away as the school continued to exceed that amount, all the way to $62,229. The fundraising event is in its fifth year and has raised $191,000 to date, with this year’s campaign scheduled to close out on Oct. 31.

The color fun run finale included a surprise visit by the Village of Clemmons Monster Dash monster, the West Forsyth drumline, a sumo wrestle between Assistant Principal Dr. Justin Marckel and PE teacher Matt Saldiveri, and an ultimate face-off on a slime-covered Slip-n-Slide between Principal Summer Jackson and Assistant Principal Marckel. The event and fundraiser was led by Anne Rudert, PTA Wild, Wild Southwest fundraiser chair and Leslie Hege, PTA president. The event was a huge success and fun was had by all who attended.

Money raised by the PTA provides funding for school wish items. The items on the long-term wish list include playground sunshades, playground repairs, an outdoor classroom and a new auditorium sound system.