For the 23rd year, students in Chuck Larimer’s physical education classes at Stayton Elementary raised funds for the American Heart Association.
“Our school this year raised $13,426.90!” said Larimer, whose two sons, now ages 16 and 19, participated when Kids Heart Challenge was Jump Rope for Heart back in the day.
“Our previous school record last year was just under $8,000, so we absolutely crushed our goal,” he added. “Overall, our school has raised close to $120,000 for the American Heart Association. Every $50 saves one person’s life, so overall this is close to 2,400 lives! This past year’s record-breaking year will save about 268 lives.”
Kids Heart Challenge raises funds for the AHA, a nonprofit organization that helps to fight against heart disease and stroke, the #1 and #3 leading causes of death in the country.
According to Larimer, students and families register and join the Stayton Elementary School team, choose a daily challenge such as be kind or move more, and then collect and earn heart heroes, thank-you gifts and online badges. The majority of money that is raised is now raised online, through heart.org/KHC.
“I try to involve everybody in our school,” Larimer said. “This year our school has 355 students. I try to make this event more like a party. I combine classes throughout the day.”
A typical physical education class takes 30 minutes, but on Kids Heart Challenge day, two classes join for an hour of activities, Larimer said.
“We have eight stations, including a couple of jump rope stations, a long rope station, running, ski jump – jumping over a line, and a water break involving Otter Pops on the big day!” he said.
“The AHA uses funds for life saving research, including teaching others hands-on CPR,” he added. “Anybody that watched Monday Night Football and Damar Hamlin knows the importance of time when it comes to saving someone’s life who suffers from cardiac arrest.”
Larimer said he has done a lot of crazy things when students have made the school goal.
“Often times this involves my hair!” he said. “It started with me completely shaving my hair bald. I have gotten a mohawk, a sideways mohawk, and double mohawk.”
Currently, Larimer sports a “corner to corner” mohawk and still needs to get silly stringed by a bunch of kids who raised a certain amount of money, he said.
“I have gotten pies to the face,” he added. “And I lost a bet so wore a pink tutu during an assembly and during the event.”
Also, the school librarian, Tracy Prien, will be donating eight inches of her “amazing hair” to a child’s hair loss site for kids who have lost their hair due to medical reasons such as cancer or alopecia.
“We try to make it a fun way to keep kids involved while also helping them see that they are helping to make a difference in the lives of others,” Larimer said.
Of the yearly event, he added, “It’s a pretty cool thing that has taken on a life of its own!”
