FARMINGTON — A final push Friday garnered a grand total of $2,000.35 for victims of Haiti by eighth-graders at Mt. Blue Middle School. The Help Haiti Group wrapped up three weeks of fundraising.

Closing in at just over $1,825 Friday morning, students kept rushing in to teacher/adviser Jayne Flagg’s room to buy one more 50-cent chance to win a movie ticket and cover a teacher’s face with a plate of whip cream, she said. 

With the entire school watching, screeching with laughter and encouragement, six brave teachers took the pie in the face with humor and grace during an afternoon school assembly. As Assistant Principal Joel Smith chose the name of a winning student each teacher took a turn as the target. Teachers John Schoen, Danita Gilbert, Fred Conlogue, Tim Shumway, Nicole Greenlaw and Nate Paling each received three pies in the face.

The Help Haiti Group originally set a goal to raise $500 for the earthquake victims. After the first two events, a hat day raised $249 and a raffle/donation at the school raised another $104, they were well on their way before even holding their main event.

On Feb. 5, they held a pledge drive and raised $1,472.80 with the help of local radio station WKTJ, which announced regular updates of pledges given during the three-and-a-half-hour event.

“We had many area businesses who generously donated during our pledge night and many community residents who donated as well. We appreciate all their support and donations; without them we would not have surpassed our goal,” Flagg said.

Friday’s sale of chances on the movie passes and whipped cream toss raised another $174.33 bringing the total to just 35 cents over $2,000, she said.

The students participated in the Help Haiti Group as an extension of their philanthropy efforts, thinking more about others. Small groups under the direction of Flagg and teacher Maureen Oswald are currently working on projects based on either helping the environment, animals, the elderly, soldiers or the less fortunate.

Members of the Help Haiti Group included Emily Knowles, Victoria Cushing, Danika Morin, Astra Pierson, Amanda Moody, Mikayla Oswald, Sarah Wade, Casey Rogers, Sadie Maye Drake, Alyssa White, Courtney Austin, Macee Qi, Lucy Celon, Courtney Melville, Heather Wheeler, Hanna Deon, Leigha Boyd and Shawnee Ellis.

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Smushing a whipped cream pie into teacher John Schoen’s head, Mt. Blue Middle School students roared Friday as Emmi Senecal won one of three chances to throw pie during a last-minute fundraiser for earthquake victims. The eighth-grade Help Haiti Group raised $2,000.50 in their three-week campaign. Six brave teachers each took three pies in the face for the cause.

Mt. Blue Middle School teacher Tim Shumway takes one final cream pie on top of the head Friday from student Darin Douin while members of the Help Haiti Group watch along with the rest of the school in Farmington. Friday’s final fundraiser, a drawing for a movie ticket and chance to throw a pie in the face of one of six teachers, pushed the group’s fundraising efforts to $2,000.35 for the earthquake victims.

Mt. Blue Middle School teacher John Schoen takes a pie in the face Friday from student Kevin Hanner while members of the Help Haiti Group watch with the rest of the school in Farmington. The final
50-cent drawing for a movie ticket and chance to throw a pie at one of six teachers pushed the group’s fundraising efforts to $2,000.35 for the three-week effort to help earthquake victims.

Six Mt. Blue Middle School teachers, including Nate Paling, each took three cream pies in the face Friday while the Farmington students roared with laughter. The cause pushed the Help Haiti Group fundraiser to $2,000.35. The eighth grade group worked for three weeks to send relief to earthquake victims.