Eleanor Wilkinson (left), 7, Cora Lynd (center), 7, and Sydney Olsen, 6, pose with the beach basket they won in a raffle during the WinterKids Family Night at Miller School in Waldoboro on Tuesday, Jan. 27. Funds from the raffle will support enrichment programs for students. (Claire Taylor photo)
Snow-suited children crawled up a sizable snow bank and raced into the warmth of the Miller School gym to enjoy cocoa, a potluck dinner, a silent auction, and raffles in Waldoboro during a family night on Tuesday, Jan. 27.
Miller School hosted the event as a part of their participation in WinterKids WinterGames celebration.
WinterKids is a Maine-based public health organization that empowers children to stay active and outdoors during the winter. Their WinterGames is a four-week outdoor learning challenge, encouraging daily physical activity, nutrition awareness, winter outdoor learning in a school-wide format.
Miller School health teacher Miranda Belcher said the WinterKids has provided an opportunity for the school to shine.
“We’re a pretty involved school and a great community all in all, and just to have a special program like this to bring to our school, it just brings … a chance for us to highlight how amazing our school is,” she said.
Belcher said the family night was a time for kids and families to enjoy playing in the snow.
“I just love these nights where friends can just get together and be a kid,” she said.
Prock Marine donated an outdoor light for the event, which helped to make sure everyone could play safely. When families got chilly, they could head into the gym for hot cocoa, dinner, and try their luck in the silent auction or a raffle.
Tasha Readinger, a member of the school’s parent-teacher organization, said that the auction to help fund enrichment programs and functions for students was an idea the school’s PTO came up with as they attempted to get back up and running.
Support for the idea exceeded expectations, she said.
“Never, ever when we started this, did we think that our community was going to be so generous,” Readinger said.
She explained that over 60 items had been donated for the silent auction, with some valued over $600.
Items on offer in the auction ranged from gift cards for local businesses like Delano Seafood Market in Waldoboro and Lincoln’s Country Store in Warren to a 50-pound bag of fertilizer, a mermaid tail blanket, and a sonic toothbrush.
“We’re just looking forward to all the fun things we’re going to do with our students,” Readinger said.
