Harvesting funds and having fun

Kids stood excitedly at game booths throwing bean bags at stuffed cats and trying to find the right lollipop to win a prize, while others ran around eating sweets, hula-hooping and admiring the display of pumpkins that dominated the center of the carnival.

The event brought back memories for 11-year-old Tamara McGuff of her time in elementary school.

Of everything the John H. Eader Elementary School’s Harvest Carnival had to offer, the plethora of edibles was her favorite part.

With chili and sour cream, and ice cream already devoured, the Isaac L. Sowers Middle School student won a cake in the Cake Walk for later.

Although Tamara has graduated from Eader, she said she likes to come back and say hello to her teachers.

“It’s awesome, because you get to bring back memories,” she said.

The carnival is this year’s annual Family Dinner Night, put on by the PTA. For parents and teachers, the event is an important fundraising event to help pay for special programs like music, Art Masters and teachers’ grants for new technology, classroom literature or school supplies.

“I think it really brings the families together as a community and as a whole to really support the kids,” said Mary Ann Barnett, a mom and organizer of the silent auction.

One of the big fundraisers for the event is the silent raffles and auctions.

The room was filled with baskets of every size containing everything from a giant replica T-Rex model to Hooked on Phonics to a gift certificate for six chiropractic adjustments.

Beyond the silent auctions are the raffles for class baskets and special experiences. A table was lined with sheets of paper listing the fun events to win.

Parents could win a VIP music experience with four VIP seats at their child’s performance and the principal’s parking space, and students could win lunch with a teacher.

The experiences are special because the students get to spend more time alone with their teachers and talk to them, said 10-year-old Brooks Juhasz.

He said he would like to be principal for the day.

“You don’t have to go to school, and you get a walkie-talkie,” he said.

As he walked along the auction items, Brooks laughed when he laid eyes on one. Mr. Gray was raffling a chance to play Ultimate Frisbee with him. Brooks said he wants to win that one.

“Mr. Gray is, I think, my favorite teacher ever,” he said.