The Plain City Elementary PTO’s annual Mumkins and Munsters sale made just over $17,000 this year, which helped push the organization to a seven-year fundraising total of $115,000. PTO Co-Chair Tamara Engle, right, was presented with a gold-painted “mumkin” Tuesday by Lisa Czajkowski, left, with Foertmeyer and Sons Greenhouse in Delaware. The group has partnered with the greenhouse since 2016 to provide the fall plants for the community sale.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Michael Williamson)
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A Jonathan Alder parent-teacher group crossed a fundraising threshold following one of its annual sales this year.
The Plain City Elementary PTO group crossed the $100,000-mark, a seven-year total, thanks to events such as the annual Mumkins and Munsters sale, which concluded on Tuesday after the plants were delivered for pickup.
Organizers said the event this year also made more than last year.
“This year is exciting in that we were able to raise $17,261, which is up from $16,000 last year,” said PTO co-chair Suzy Craft. “$16,000 was our goal and we exceeded that thanks to the community support.”
This year’s total put the PTO’s year-to-date amount over $115,000. Last year’s fundraising was just near that amount, group members said.
Craft said the money goes to all sorts of things from assisting with teacher requests to software and equipment upgrades in the elementary school to bringing wildlife or COSI (Center of Science and Industry)-centered events to the students.
“If there is a need, the teachers know we’re here and they can come to us for help,” said Tamara Engle, who co-chairs the group with Craft. “As long as it serves the kids and the teachers, we’ll help in whatever way we can.”
She added that students were offered gift cards and other incentives this year to help push the sale past the line. For one incentive, any student who sold 11 or more items could have the opportunity to cover a staff member in silly string.
“It’s really easy too when the community knows it’s about the kids. They really show up and help,” said Engle. “We have really good people across the board.”
The group works with Foertmeyer and Sons Greenhouse out of Delaware County and has done all its sales with the company dating back to the first one in 2016. This year, kids sold nearly 4,000 plants to residents and parents.
Because of the milestone, Engle was presented with a gold-painted mumkin.