Carrie E. Tomkins Community Bands Together

Parents, administrators, teachers and students continue to band together to improve Croton-on-Hudson and Carrie E. Tompkins Elementary School. Right now, people at the school are gearing up for the Harry Chapin Memorial Run Against Hunger. This will be the 32nd year of the run.

"It's another event where we bring children, parents and staff together," said CET Principal Kelly Maloney. "We've been promoting it in the lunch room. Last week, we had some of the organizers from the race come in and show video clips to our kids during lunchtime, of last year's race, to pump them up. Organizers from the race also came in and talked to 4th graders, particularly about the cause for the race."

The run brings attention to poverty and hunger issues in our area and in other countries. It happens this Sunday in Croton. There will be a 5K walk at 10:30 a.m. At 12 p.m. the One-Mile Fun Run begins. At 12:45 p.m. the 10K Run kicks off. You can register for the run by clicking on this link. For more information go to www.runagainsthunger.com

The Run Against Hunger isn't the only cause that people from CET have been working on recently. Parents, PTA members, administrators, teachers and students recently beautified the CET playground. The volunteers used stencils to paint new activities on the playground's blacktop. The new games include "alien" hopscotch, foursquare, and a target game. There is also a new map of the United States on the blacktop, which includes the capitals.

"It was nice to see parents coming together with faculty members… It was a fun low-key kind of day, without any stresses," said Maloney. "It was a beautiful fall day—we're all out there painting—kids were there helping us. I could have painted out there all day. "

CET's PTA Co-President says the playground makeover project turned out to be a big success.

“CET PTA, together with Principal Kelly Maloney, decided that painting the playground would have a number of positive outcomes,” said CET PTA Co-President Mary Slippen. “The children would be able to engage in a variety of new, fresh activities together during recess. And the community would have the opportunity to come together to make it happen." 

A portion of the supplies and paint for the playground beautification project were donated by Croton Hardware and Wallauer's in Ossining.