The Rickman Elementary PTO wants to raise funds to purchase safety equipment that will improve the school’s security measures.
PTO President Athen Harper said proceeds from this year’s “Bulldog Blitz” event will go toward the next phase of safety upgrades at the school, building on efforts that began last year. Harper said the organization has set a fundraising goal of $20,000 this year.
“We are all moms, and we want to keep our kids as safe as possible,” Harper said. “We want to keep the staff over there as safe as possible, and it just was kind of a natural instinct to do as much for our school as we could.”
Harper said the organization felt the need to step up and protect students. Harper said growing concerns about school safety nationwide have driven parents to take a more active role in supporting additional protections.
“Every day you hear a new story, something terrible happening at a school,” Harper said. “We don’t ever want that to happen here. We know it’s a possibility, so what’s our best line of defense?”
Harper said while the school district provides core safety measures, parents wanted to go further.
“The district does a lot for us, of course… but we just wanted to take it one step further,” Harper said. “We had enough parents that had some knowledge about different things that we could implement to make it just a bit safer, and we took it and ran with it.”
The Bulldog Blitz will take place on Monday, May 11, at Rickman Elementary beginning shortly after 8 a.m. and will continue throughout the school day.
Harper said community members can support the event through sponsorships, which are being accepted up until the day of the event. Harper said the event will also feature food and activities, creating a festive atmosphere for families.
“We do invite all of the Bulldog families to come out and celebrate with us and cheer on their Bulldogs,” Harper said. “It really turns into a fun party.”