More kindness of strangers

In Boxford, Massachusetts, Walk-a-Palooza for Bogalusa:

Sixth-graders at Boxford’s Spofford Pond Elementary were likely rubbing their feet Friday night after spending part of the afternoon walking around Chadwick Field to raise money for charity. The students were taking part in the "Walk-a-Palooza for Bogalusa," a fund-raising event to help a Louisiana elementary school damaged by Hurricane Katrina last summer.

For each lap completed the students earned various amounts of money from the sponsors who signed up beforehand to support them. After each lap, a volunteer punched a hole in a card the students wore around their necks. After every fifth lap, the students received a Mardi Gras necklace. One of the hardest tasks for the walk-a-thon volunteers was keeping the students from running.

While there were volunteers with hole-punching devices and beads, there was also a handful of volunteers with spray bottles. Since spring finally decided to show up for real last weekend, the volunteers were there to make sure the walkers kept cool. Some of the students seemed to genuinely enjoy getting spritzed while others sped past the sprayers so they wouldn’t get wet. Most of the sprayers stayed off the course, but one of them, 5-year-old Wes D’Alelio, stationed himself in the middle.

"I think he’s having more fun than they are," said Kimberly D’Alelio, Wes’ mother. "He’s taking his job seriously."

Wes’ brother, Drew, was one of the walkers.

Boxford Parent-Teacher Organization Co-President Lisa Teichner said Tuesday the total raised by the students had yet to be determined as they were still collecting pledges.

Big hugs to Lisa Teichner, Boxford PTO, and Spofford Pond School.