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Nearly $8,000 raised in first St. John school Kick-It kickball tournament

May 24, 2012  |  Posted by Troy Krause

According to the National Cancer Institute there were more than 10,000 children under the age of 15 diagnosed with cancer in 2007.

That number is on the rise, and students from St. John Lutheran School in Redwood Falls, Prairie Lutheran School in Fairfax and Gibbon and St. Paul Lutheran in St. James joined together May 16 to kick children’s cancer during a special fundraising event that allowed them to have fun along the way.

As part of Kick-It, a national organization dedicated to raising funds for cancer research, students played several games of kickball at the local parochial school. More than 200 students took part in the event, and as of May 21 $7,800 has been raised.

This was the first time the local school held the event, and according to Dave Gartner and Becky Rogotzke, it was a huge success, not only in raising funds but in providing a chance for students from different schools to meet each other and build relationships.

“These kids will play each other in other sports over the years, and now when they play it will be more than just about the competition,”?said Gartner.

To ensure students from other schools got to know each other, students were mixed together to make up the teams which competed during the kickball tournament. Rogotzke said many told her they made new friends as they played.

Gartner said it was great to see area volunteers, school teachers and church pastors filling in during the event, adding his appreciation for those who took the time to be part of the day.

Gartner and Rogot-zke also expressed appreciation for those businesses and individuals who donated including the Tamara Brown American Family Insurance Agency, Bremer Bank, Brown Trucking, Bulk Seed Systems, Burger King, Country Kitchen, Culligan Water, Dairy Queen, Ecowater, Gob-lirsch Tire, GuidePoint Pharmacy, Connie’s Hallmark, Hardin The-ater Service, Klabunde Electric, KLGR, Knutson Brothers, Kohls-Weel-borg, McDonald’s Mill Street Hair Company, MinnWest Bank, P&Ks, Pizza Hunt, Pizza Ranch, Redwood Build-ing Center, Redwood Dental Studios, Red-wood Falls Nursery, Redwood Gazette, John and Merilee Rogotzke, Running’s, The Rusty Bucket, Kaardal State Farm Insurance Agency, Titan Machinery, Up-town Auto Care, Walmart, WOW! Zone, Midwest Motor Works and Monsanto.

“It’s great to see so many people working together toward a common goal,”?said Gartner.

The school is already talking about having the event again.

http://www.redwoodfallsgazette.com/sports/x1832942382/Nearly-8-000-raised-in-first-St-John-school-Kick-It-kickball-tournament