Over the last few years, the Raccoon Run has been held in the Spring, however, this year we are moving it back to the Fall. Many schools hold their jog-a-thons in the Fall so they can more accurately budget the funds that are raised to support the students and staff throughout the school year. While this shift is related to responsible financial planning, we are also hoping runners will benefit from the milder weather during the Fall.

Yes! Parents will need to create an account on our fundraising platform PledgeStar. From there you will need to add each student as a jogger. *Please note you will need to register even if you have registered on this platform in previous years. To be counted towards classroom prizes, students need to be registered by Monday, September 30th. Families can still register after this date, but it will not count towards their student’s classroom total for earning prizes. To be considered “registered” a parent must: 1. Create an account 2. Add their students as joggers 3. Send out one donation request (self requests allowed). Students do not need to receive a donation to be registered. See the information on how to register and request donations on PledgeStar.

Donations are collected through our pledge platform PledgeStar. Through PledgeStar, you can send donation requests to family and friends via email or text message. You can also share your student’s fundraising page on social media or print out a flyer with a QR code. See the information on how to request donations on PledgeStar.

Great question! If you register multiple Sato students under the same family account, all payments received will be split evenly between the registered students. If you wish to create a separate account for each student (instead of a shared family account) you can do so by using a different email address for each student. Students in split households can have more than one account (using different email addresses). Combined totals will not be reflected on the student’s fundraising page but will be combined offline for earning prizes.

This year, we are shifting to flat donations only. Historically we have offered donations by lap, but we have found that less than 3% of our donations are lap based and lap based donations require extra time as a volunteer must manually update lap totals after the event for each student that participates.

Absolutely! PledgeStar will track all donations made via credit card or check. Checks can be dropped off at the school or mailed to: Sato Elementary School Attn: Raccoon Run 7775 NW Kaiser Rd. Portland, OR 97229 Be sure your student’s name and PledgeStar reference number is written on the check!

Great question! Students should wear loose, comfortable clothing on the day of the run as well as socks and shoes.

We will release the run day schedule with times as we get closer to the event. Run Day is a normal school day, but students will head outside during their electives to participate in the run. After warming up, students will have approximately 15-20 minutes to run as many laps as they can. Once their run time is complete, students will enjoy a post-run snack.

Yes! All students will receive a Fall 2024 Raccoon Run t-shirt for fundraising for and participating in the run.

Yes! We offer two ways families can watch the run: 1. The Family & Friends Fence Line Viewing area along the sidewalk in the drop-off/pick-up area. This viewing area is behind the permanent fence and is available at no charge. Viewing spots are on a first come basis, not seating is provided.​ ​ 2. The Premium Viewing Gallery area along the track behind security fencing. Admission price of $5 per person (ages 5+) for all day viewing. You can purchase tickets to the Premium View Gallery here.

We need a large number of volunteers to make this event happen! If you are an approved volunteer by the Beaverton School District, please consider signing up to volunteer. ​ Event Setup: Help setup event stations (canopies, tables, signs, etc.) **Please note the earlier start time of this shift** Mascot: Dress up in mascot costume and interact with kids Mascot Assistant: Assist mascot with costume and escort around event grounds Lap Stations: Assist at lap stations warming up runners and handing out lap counters Water Station: Assist with refilling water dispensers and cups and handing out water to kids Viewing Area: Check-in visitors for viewing area and monitor attendees **Please note the earlier start time of this shift** Event Teardown: Help teardown canopies, tables, decor, and supplies You can sign up through ParentSquare here. We kindly ask volunteers to commit to the entire shift. Please do not request a partial shift. This volunteer opportunity is only available to those who have passed their background check through the Raptor System. Please be sure your name is correct on your ParentSquare account (matches your Raptor application) or you will be removed from the signup list. We encourage you to signup during your student's grade's run time! ​ Shift 1: Grades 4, 5, and 3 (7:45 AM - 10:30 AM) Sift 2: Grades 2, Kinder and 1 (11:30 AM - 2:20 PM) If you have any questions, please email volunteer@satocommunity.org.

Yes, we are currently looking for event sponsors! Not only is it a good way to get awareness about your company, but we love that you want to support our school! We are accepting corporate sponsors for our Fall 2024 Raccoon Run through September 1st. Please email us at fundraising@satocommunity.org if you would like more information on becoming a sponsor.