The Melcher-Dallas Elementary School Read-a-Thon continues. Every student at the elementary building, three year olds through 6th grade, is participating in the ten day Read-a-Thon. 

The Read-A-Thon is a fundraiser that raises money for school activities while encouraging and rewarding students for reading. 

Ms. Holly VanWyk, teacher, tells KNIA/KRLS News as of Thursday nearly $5,700 has been raised and students have read for over 36,000 minutes..

Sponsorships for students will be accepted until mid February, but the reading portion of the fundraiser ends on Monday, January 30th. 

Sponsors may donate using the website or via check- written to M-D PTO, cash, venmo payment to @mdelempto, or click here.

On Thursday Ms. VanWyk shared a report of the status of the Read-a-Thon:

Current standings as of today at 10am: 

$5,620 in sponsorships 

36,234 minutes read 

We have received sponsorships from: 

Kay Jensen 

Jim & Susan Hicks 

Weiler of Knoxville 

Knoxville Dental Center 

The Waldinger Corporation

Central Iowa Acoustical Inc.

JBS Ottumwa 

Knoxville Hospital & Clinics 

Prairie Meadows 

My class of 21 students worked really hard and wrote to over 50 different businesses asking for sponsorships. In their letters, each student explained what we are raising money for and why they think reading is so important. 

All the sponsors who have responded have a personalized thank you card coming back to them in the mail!  We use every opportunity possible to practice hand writing, friendly letter formatting, signing our name in cursive, addressing an envelope, and talking about the importance of gratitude towards those who show kindness. 

We are so grateful to the businesses, community members, friends, and family who have graciously sponsored our Read-a-Thon already. These students deserve the absolute best and I am proud to help them reach their full potential with the support of so many. 

Sponsorships will be accepted until mid February, but our reading portion of the fundraiser actually ends on Monday, January 30th. 

If anyone would like to sponsor our literacy fundraiser, checks can be mailed to: 

Melcher-Dallas CSD 

C/O Ms.VanWyk 

P.O Box #489 

Melcher-Dallas, IA 50163 

Please write checks to: M-D PTO with Read-a-Thon as the memo. 🙂 

Below is a fun (unedited–actually probably impossible to edit because the kids were so engaged and having so much fun) interview Dr. Bob had with the kids and Ms. VanWyk.

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