Pumpkins for Literacy benefits schools

SMOKEY POINT — The Marysville, Arlington and Lakewood school districts once again received support from the Marysville Rotary’s “Pumpkins for Literacy” program, which presented representatives of those schools with checks at the Smokey Point Plant Farm Oct. 31.

Kelly Richards, this year’s Pumpkin Patch chair, estimated that the Marysville Rotary has raised approximately $200,000 for the three school districts during the past 10 years. This year’s program yielded $1,000 each for almost every elementary school within those districts, as usual, and brought in roughly 147,000 pounds of pumpkins, most of which were sold by the time the three districts’ representatives received their checks.

While the Marysville Rotary dispenses these funds to promote school literacy, they’re not specifically designated for the purchase of books. Pumpkins for Literacy also raises enough money to purchase hard-bound dictionaries for every third-grade student throughout the school districts. In addition, Pumpkins for Literacy donated $4,000 to the Marysville Custodial Department Committee to fund the printing of nearly 200 copies of “The Happy Custodian,” a children’s book about custodians written, illustrated and edited by Marysville School District custodians.

Pioneer Elementary Principal Karl Olson, speaking on behalf of the Arlington School District, attributed an increased value to such aid during challenging economic times.

“It’s amazing that the Rotary can continue to raise these funds,” Olson said. “We appreciate all that they do.”

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