The face and hair of Antilles School science teacher Adam Quandt were covered with whipped cream and other sweet stuff after he was the target of a pie-throwing game during the “Fun Day for Kids” fundraiser Sunday afternoon at Antilles’ Mark C. Marin Center.
The fundraiser was started three years ago by Noor Suid and another classmate, who has since moved off-island. Suid has kept it going with the help of students, teachers, Antilles staff and her family.
The first year it was held, the $3,000 proceeds were donated to Bethlehem House. Suid has since added Clear Blue Sky, a clubhouse for individuals suffering with mental illness, as a beneficiary.
“I’ve been raised to help others by my parents,” said Suid. “My parents have always talked to me about the homeless and taught me to help those less fortunate.”
Suid volunteers her time at Clear Blue Sky, reading and participating in activities with members of the clubhouse.
Last year, the students raised $2,000 for the organizations but Suid thinks they did better this year, with more than 200 kids and adults participating in games throughout the day.
The pie-throwing and a slip-n-slide set up outside were the most popular draws. Kids covered in soap from head to toe waited in line to take their turn at the extra long slip-n-slide. Everyone was hooting and hollering as soap and water splashed the crowd hanging around at the end of the slide.
Three brave students – Marissa Williams, Alex Sharp and Julia Teare – and three teachers – Quandt, Mr. Bergeron and Mr. Gever – volunteered to be targets in the pie-throwing game. Kids were more than happy to pay for the chance to hit a fellow student or teacher in the face, so lots of pies were thrown.
Two of the many activities were created at the last minute to raise money for the Haiti relief effort and will donate the proceeds to Haiti via the Virgin Islands Community Foundation.
According to Antilles School community liason Joan Amerling, the entire school is participating in various fundraising activities for the Haiti relief. Activities vary in the different age groups, but the older students have a faculty-versus-students kickball game planned for the near future.
Sabrina Mirpuri, an Antilles sophomore, and classmates Julia Hogroian and Shannon Newland were busy making bracelets that were sold to raise money for Haiti. They had sold 20 bracelets by the end of the day.
Sabrina’s family, owners of Princess World Jewelers, donated troll beads of all colors and designs along with the chains, called love bracelets, and buyers could create their own bracelets for between $20 and $35.
Diane Holmberg, Antilles’ Middle School art teacher, created a photo studio with various life-sized pop art objects created by her students. At $3 a photo, kids clamored to have their photo taken sitting astride Winnie-the-Pooh, hugging the Coca-Cola bottle or popping out of the giant Chinese food take-out container. Those who didn’t want a photo printed could take a picture with their phone for $1.
Holmberg’s students spend the entire quarter of a semester creating the life-sized pop art objects made of papier mache and painted to perfection.
Some of the other activities available were cookie decorating, face painting, musical chairs, a treasure hunt and the “cakewalk”, a game that has become an Antilles tradition.
Newland has worked the “cakewalk” each year and said her brother learned the game in kindergarten. The game consists of a giant circle made from a sail with numbers written side by side along the perimeter. Kids stand on the perimeter and walk in a circle while the music plays. Once the music stops, each participant is standing on a number. The winning number is then drawn out of a hat and the child standing on that particular number wins a cake or a plate of cookies or brownies.
Newland said, “I signed up the first year and then because it was so much fun and it’s for a good cause, I’ve been doing it every year.”
Adult volunteers manned the refreshment stations, where burgers, hot dogs and pizza were sold. Also available were the traditional carnival goodies such as cotton candy and snow-cones.
Suid did not know Sunday how much was raised this year but was extremely pleased with the large turnout. She credits her family with giving her the support to organize the event every year. Suid is in her senior year but the Antilles students plan to continue the annual event to help Bethlehem House and Clear Blue Sky.
