Greenway Challenge Race to Benefit Woonsocket Elementary School
Saturday, May 26, 2012
The UniBank Blackstone River Valley Greenway Challenge has named the Governor Aram J. Pothier Elementary School in Woonsocket, as the charitable recipient of its September 29, 2012, adventure race, Greenway Challenge Chairman Charlie Thompson has announced.
The selection means that the Pothier School will receive a $2,500 donation from the proceeds of the annual race. The School, located at 420 Robinson Street in Woonsocket, is a primary early childhood facility serving some 500 students in pre-school through grade 2.
A school with environmental vision
To be selected, the charitable recipient must have a mission that complements the goals of the Greenway Challenge — a race in which participants run, paddle, and bike through a course to raise the awareness of the history, natural beauty, and environmental significance of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“We are impressed by the enthusiasm at the Pothier School for supporting the Greenway Challenge, and for stressing the importance of environmental awareness to the children in the Woonsocket school system. We recognize that these children are our environmental stewards of the future and we are pleased to have Pothier School as our 2012 partner,” Thompson said.
Pothier School Principal Donna M. Coderre noted that the school stresses the importance of environmental awareness and education. “Through our science curriculum, we teach the children about protecting the environment, the local wildlife, and the value our environment plays in our everyday lives,” she said. “Our health education and physical fitness programs teach the children about the health benefits of physical fitness and recreational opportunities in the community and Blackstone Valley.
“School-wide initiatives such as recycling, family health fairs, and walk to school days, reinforce all these lessons,” she added.
What $2,500 can do at Pothier
Coderre said that with the $2,500 grant the school would be able “to do even more” with new initiatives such as in-house field trips, where the children could learn about the local ecosystem; software to enhance the students’ hand-on independent learning the environment; or taking more children on field trips to the Blackstone River Valley.
Coderre said volunteers have also committed to helping plan and staff the race.
Previous charitable grant recipients include the Blackstone Valley Education Foundation, The Blackstone River Coalition, Blackstone River Bikeway Association, Waters Farm Preservation, Inc., Mohegan Council Boy Scouts of America, and the Blackstone River Watershed Council/Friends of the Blackstone.
The UniBank Blackstone River Valley Greenway Challenge
The UniBank Blackstone River Valley Greenway Challenge is New England's premier adventure race where teams run, paddle, and bike in a variety of competitive divisions through Blackstone River Valley towns in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The race, in its 12th year, is scheduled for September 29, 2012.
Each year, the course is redesigned to provide returning athletes a new challenge as well as to showcase the beauty and history of the Valley. It may total 50 to 60 miles and include canoeing or kayaking, street or mountain biking, and street or trail running. The official segments for the 2012 race will be announced on July 1st. Registration for participants is now open.
UniBank is the Title sponsor of the 2012 race. The River Champion sponsors are Red Star WorldWear, the Taco/The White Family Foundation, and the Telegram & Gazette. The Trail Sponsor is the Whitin Community Center.
For more information, visit the Greenway Challenge website at http://www.greenwaychallenge.
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