PAC Walkathon & Community Celebration Narrative
Supplemental information describing the background, problem statement, and goals for the first-ever PAC walkathon to fund a new playground.
View Royal Elementary PAC
View Royal Elementary Walkathon & Community Celebration Event
BASIC INFORMATION SECTION
View Royal Elementary Parent Advisory Committee has a long-standing tradition of hosting a school community event each Spring. This year, the View Royal Elementary PAC is excited to host our first ever Walkathon event on May 29, 2026! Students and staff will come together for an afternoon of outdoor fun for a great cause, followed by a celebration event in the evening (open to families and community). Other schools in the area have seen great success from Walkathon fundraisers, and we’re looking forward to bringing this fundraising event to View Royal.
The 2026 View Royal Elementary Walkathon is a dedicated fundraiser to accelerate our playground fundraising campaign by adding onto the funds raised to date and helping us reach our goal of installing a new playground at View Royal Elementary. Students will collect walkathon pledges from friends, families and neighbours, while PAC representatives reach out to local businesses for sponsorship. All funds raised will go towards our playground fundraising goal. In order for our event to be successful we are asking the Town of View Royal for $2,930 (100% of the event cost) to cover our expenses, including refreshments for students, event promotion and printing, student stickers to track walkathon laps, music and more.
The Town of View Royal previously provided $7,600 in 2021 for a new swing set at our school and $500 in 2024 in support of our year-end fun fair. The View Royal PAC does not issue grants to other organizations or receive tax exemption from the Town of View Royal.
OUR ORGANIZATION’S OBJECTIVES & SERVICES
The View Royal Elementary School Parent Advisory Council is a committee made up of parents of the children of the View Royal Elementary school. We are a non-profit group made up entirely of volunteers. We strive to support our children’s learning environment by supporting a number of initiatives in the school and fostering the school community.
In the past, we have funded technology in the school (smart boards, iPads & ChromeBooks), field trips, school agendas, books, musical instruments and playground equipment. We also host a number of family events every year including a dance, seniors tea, parent education night and family game night.
View Royal Elementary School is a public school in School District #61 attended by approximately 260 students in Kindergarten through Grade 5.
PROBLEM STATEMENT & BACKGROUND
The PAC has not been immune to the rising costs of everyday living. The initiatives that we generally fund every year that the school counts on — field trip buses, art performances, sports programs, etc. — have all increased in price. As a result, we are finding we have less to spend on fun community-building family events, while still fundraising for our long term goal of a new playground, which is much needed for the school. It is also increasingly difficult for the PAC to fundraise as families struggle with the increasing costs of living. The PAC strives to make all family events inclusive and accessible, which means all events are by donation or without cost to families.
EVENT GOALS & OBJECTIVES
The PAC’s objective is to provide a safe, fun and engaging event for students and their families of View Royal Elementary School. The walkathon will empower students to be active fundraisers for a new playground for current students and future generations. To celebrate their efforts, the evening component will be an evening of fun with school and community members. The event will help raise crucial funds needed, while providing an opportunity for community connection. Local organizations, such as the View Royal Fire Department and Westshore Parks and Recreation, will also be invited to the evening event with the goal of showcasing and celebrating View Royal community spirit. The Town of View Royal would be very welcome to set up a table or tent as well. There are very few family-friendly events each year in View Royal. The Town of View Royal has two elementary schools within its boundary, so this event would support approximately half of all elementary school-aged children and their families living in the Town of View Royal. View Royal Elementary families will also be encouraged to invite friends, relatives, and neighbours to the evening celebration event, allowing the event to reach even more View Royal residents.