Pledge Walk Helps Mesa Schools, Groups, United Way

April 28, 2010, by Bob Schuster, Public Information Specialist for Mesa United Way

When Emerson Elementary School Principal Mark Norris heard earlier this year about the pledge walk being organized by the school district and Mesa United Way, he saw an opportunity for his diverse community of students and parents to pull together.

And pull together they did. More than 200 Emerson students, parents, teachers and staff showed up early on April 10 for a pancake breakfast at Pier de Orleans Restaurant in downtown Mesa, followed by the three-mile Live United Walk United event that started nearby and ended near the Mesa Amphitheater amid entertainment, refreshments and information booths.

"Awareness was our main goal," said Norris. "We wanted to get as many families as possible involved. It was a great success and is something we can build on in future years."

There were other benefits for the kids as well. Emma Dale, 9, said filling up on pancakes before the walk and enjoying a snow cone afterward were highlights. For Eden Bodine, 8, it was the opportunity to visit with her friends off campus.  The pledge walk drew an estimated 1,000 participants from schools and community organizations across Mesa, said Carol McCormack, president and CEO of Mesa United Way. So far, more than $20,000 in pledges and contributions have been tallied, and a number of schools are still counting proceeds, McCormack said.

"This was our first walk, and our primary objective was to get as many people out as possible having a good time," she said. "From that standpoint it was very successful. I know it will grow next year."

Proceeds will be split between schools and organizations participating in the walk and Mesa United Way's Community Care Fund, which helps fund a number of local human-services agencies. The event is intended to help fill funding shortfalls resulting from deep state budget cuts.

Norris said Emerson's share of the $385 raised by its participants will go toward the northwest Mesa school's character education program, which emphasizes being a good citizen and a caring person. "This event was all about that -- getting involved and making our community stronger," he said.

Norris credits fifth-grade teacher Jaime McClure, with the help of kindergarten teacher Kerry Reeves, for generating interest among students and parents by creating a "Wall of Walkers" on the campus that tallied growing participation among the various classrooms as the event drew near.

"We do a lot of community service at Emerson," McClure said. "We teach the kids that it's not about rewards, it's about becoming a better person by helping others and the community. This was a perfect opportunity to do just that and our school really rose to the occasion.

"Everything for the pancake breakfast was donated by the parents," she said. "They even brought noisemakers for the kids to blow as they waited for the walk to start."

And make noise they did, as Emerson's walkers jostled for position right behind the Boy Scout flag bearers at the start of the walk. Their enthusiastic participation sets a benchmark for next year's event -- not only for their own school but for others across Mesa.