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Raccoon Run
Fall 2024 Raccoon Run
Thursday, October 10th
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Thank you to our wonderful Fall 2024 Raccoon Sponsors!
GOLD SPONSORS
($1,000+)
SILVER SPONSORS
($500 - $999)
BRONZE SPONSORS
($250 - $499)
What is the Raccoon Run?
Our annual Raccoon Run is a jog-a-thon style fundraiser. As our primary fundraiser of the year, students and their families are encouraged to reach out to family, friends and neighbors to collect donations or pledges to support the laps that they run. This event not only raises money for our school, it also encourages physical activity and promotes a sense of community. All students will participate in the Raccoon Run during school hours.
What are we raising money for?
Like many other schools and non-profit organizations, Sato Elementary Community Organization (SECO) relies heavily upon volunteers, donations and generous sponsors to help run the many wonderful activities and programs we put on throughout the year.
These activities and programs include supporting classroom, school, and administrative budgets, Art Literacy, Cultural Night, Oregon Battle of the Books, popcorn Fridays, teacher appreciation week, field trips, staff dinner for conferences, movie nights, PE and Music equipment, 5th grade celebration and more!
Event Registration
Registration is now open to families!
All students will participate in the Raccoon Run on October 10th during school hours. To help us prepare for the run, we ask that all families register their students on our platform PledgeStar.
IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT REGISTERING:
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Parents will need to create an account for their families on our fundraising platform PledgeStar. You will need to create a new account, even if you have registered on this platform in previous years.
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PLEASE ONLY REGISTER YOUR STUDENT(S). It is not necessary for parents to register themselves in order to use the platform.
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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.
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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 prizes.
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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.
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See the PRIZES section below for more information on classroom and student prize opportunities.
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To be considered “registered” a parent must:
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Create a family account
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Add their students as joggers
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Send out one donation request (self requests allowed). Students do not need to receive a donation to be registered.
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Students can track their classroom’s registration progress on the bulletin board in the cafeteria which will be updated weekly.
Prizes
Students have the opportunity to earn prizes both as part of their class and individually.
CLASS PRIZES:
We will be tracking the percentage of students in each class that register on our donation platform – PledgeStar. To earn a classroom prize, parents must create an online profile for each student and send out one donation request (self requests allowed). Students do not need to receive a donation to be registered. Classes will earn a prize once they hit 75%, 90% and 100% student registration by Monday, September 30th. Students can still register after this time, but it will not count towards their classroom prizes.
Students can track their classroom's progress on the bulletin board in the cafeteria.
75% Prize: Fidget Prize
90% Prize: 30-minute in class movie with popcorn
100% Prize: In class photoshoot with mascot
INDIVIDUAL PRIZES:
We will also be tracking the total amount each student raises. Students will earn an individual prize for raising $100, $200, and $300 by Friday, October 25th. Students can earn all three prizes. Families can track their individual progress on their family PledgeStar page.
Please note: Employer donation matches can take up to 60 days to be received and may not be reflected on the online platform right away. Total prize counts will not be done following the event to allow for final donations and employer matches to be received.
$100 Prize: Invite only movie night (includes pizza, candy and snacks for student and one adult)
$200 Prize: Silly string staff members during recess
$300 Prize: Awesome swag bag (which includes 3 raffle tickets)
Prize Swag Bag
(for students who raise $300+)
Raffle Prizes
(Students who earn a swag bag are automatically entered to win one raffle prize)
Two tickets to a Portland Timbers soccer game
(one chance to win)
12" Raccoon Squishmallows
(one in five chances to win)
Sato spirit wear beanie
(one in ten chances to win)
*Prize pictures are not to scale
Donation Matching
Many employers offer corporate matching for nonprofit donations meaning your employer may match your donation for free! Those matches will count towards your students’ prizes and allow you to double your impact in contributing to programs supporting our school! HOWEVER, most company matching features take between 4-8 weeks to process donations and notify the school. For that reason, we need your help to accurately track matching donations for student prizes!
Please either:
Select the Company Donation Match box when you submit your donation (see picture below)
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Email seco@satocommunity.org with subject line “Donation Match”. Please include your student’s name, classroom teacher, and a receipt, report, or confirmation email from your employer detailing the match you have requested. A volunteer will manually process these requests, so please allow 48 hours for your donation to be reflected in PledgeStar.
Do you or a family member have an employer matching program?
If so, be sure to check the "Company Donation Match" box when making a donation on PledgeStar!
Ask your employer if your company offers employer donation matching and help increase your impact on our school.
If you don’t see SECO on your employer’s donation platform or if you have any questions, please email:
Volunteering
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.
WE NEED ASSISTANCE WITH FIRST AID, WATER STATIONS, CLASSROOMS, MASCOTS, CHECK-IN, AND MORE!
VOLUNTEER SIGN UPS TO COME!
If you are interested in becoming an approved volunteer, please review our volunteer information here.
How to Watch the Run
We LOVE when family and friends come to cheer on our runners! We'll update this page soon on approved ways you can watch the run.
Event FAQ
Have a question about the Raccoon Run? Please review the information below on frequently asked questions. If you still have a questions, please email fundraising@satocommunity.org.
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Why is the Raccoon Run being held in the Fall?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.
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Do I need to register my student(s) for the run?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.
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How do I collect donations for my student?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.
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How do donations work if I have more than one student at Sato?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.
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Are donations by lap or a flat donation?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.
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Can I make a donation by check?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!
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What do students need for the run?Great question! Students should wear loose, comfortable clothing on the day of the run as well as socks and shoes.
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What does the run day look like for the students?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.
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Will my students get a t-shirt for running?Yes! All students will receive a Fall 2024 Raccoon Run t-shirt for fundraising for and participating in the run.
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Can we come watch the kids run?Yes! Look for more information to come on how to watch the run!
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Do you need volunteers for the event?Yes! We will be release volunteer needs closer to the event date. Please be sure to check back!
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Do you need corporate sponsors?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.