Warm weather has arrived and it's time to pull your summer walking shoes out of the closet for a good cause

"Step Up for Kids" walk-a-thon to benefit the

NSEA Children's Fund
 

Saturday, May 12, walk-a-thon starts at

 10:30 a.m. at

Lincoln's 27th and Pine Lake Road

Super Saver Store

Please join us on May 12. If you are unable to walk please see the FR in your building to donate to this worthy fund. Lincoln children benefited with over $12,000 in assistance last year.

Click Here to Join to the Walk or Donate to the Children's Fund

"We're asking the public, teachers and other school employees to walk and to encourage family and friends, businesses, schools and others to join as a community service," said Nancy Fulton, president of the Nebraska State Education Association. "Walkers are asked to seek pledges for the Children's Fund, which benefits children in need."

Those collecting pledges will have their name included in a drawing for the many prizes that will be given away. Walkers collecting $50 or more will receive a t-shirt.

Founded by NSEA in 1994, the mission of the Fund is simple: to ensure that a child's personal need does not interfere with his or her ability to learn and succeed. Over the years, the Children's Fund has given thousands of Nebraska children in every corner of the state the opportunity to succeed.

"Teachers and education support professionals are on the front line of education. They see children in need every day: children who do not have the eyeglasses they need, children who come to school in February weather in a windbreaker and sandals instead of a coat and boots," said Fulton. "When a child needs new eyeglasses, shoes, a coat, boots or other such basic necessities their family can't afford, the Children's Fund is there to help."

At the request of an NSEA member, assistance is immediate and confidential. NSEA assumes the overhead in the operation; every penny donated is used to help a child.

Walk registration begins at 9:30 a.m. at the 27th and Pine Lake Rd. Super Saver. Walkers can turn in their pledge sheets and donations at that time. Walkers will start at Super Saver and head west along Pine Lake Road to Southwest High School, then return to the store. After the walk, participants can enjoy a lunch for a minimal charge. There will also be in-store specials at Super Saver. Drawings for prizes will begin at 11:30 a.m. You must be present to win.

The walk-a-thon is presented by Ameriprise Financial. Other sponsors are Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska, Union Bank and Trust Co., First Nebraska Educators Credit Union, Horace Mann and Super Saver. Pledge forms and additional information may be found at

 by emailing or calling Sally.Bodtke@nsea.org at

(402) 475-7611 or 1-800-742-0047.

In 1994, the Nebraska State Education Association established the NSEA Children's Fund. The Children's Fund provides assistance to fulfill modest and immediate needs of public school students as those needs are recognized by NSEA members in the classroom.

The goal of the Children's Fund is to ensure that a personal need is not allowed to interfere with a student's ability to learn. Teachers and education support professionals are on the frontlines of education every day in the classroom - they see the unmet needs of students firsthand. When a child needs new eyeglasses, shoes, a coat, boots or other such basic necessities that their family can't afford, the NSEA Children's Fund is there to help. Assistance is immediate and confidential. Usually a phone call to NSEA is all that's required.

The frigid temperatures, heavy snow and slow economic conditions of the last two winters heavily tapped the Fund. In addition, cuts in other programs to help children in need led to growing requests to the Children's Fund. We are asking NSEA members and the public to rebuild the Fund. The Children's Fund is often the last hope for these children to get help.

Supported solely through donations, every single penny donated to the Fund is spent directly on children in need. NSEA assumes the administrative costs of operating the Children's Fund. The Fund is a 501(c)(3) corporation, which means that donations to the Fund are tax deductible.

While the NSEA Children's Fund provides assistance for students from all across the state, this past school year, the Fund provided $12,000 to help 94 needy students in the Lincoln area alone. Generally, about one-third of the Fund's resources are spent on students in Lincoln.

For more information, call the NSEA Children's Fund at (402) 475-7611 or 1-800-742-0047.

Top Ten Reasons to Participate:

1) You'll enjoy the exercise walking with family, friends and co-workers.

2) You'll make new friends!

3) You'll be helping a very worthy cause: children in need.

4) You'll be able to pick up some low-cost lunch after the walk.

5) You can join the walk and do your grocery shopping in one trip!

6) You can have an NSEA 'celebrity' sack your groceries.

7) Prizes!

8) Super Saver will have special 'in-store' specials for this event!

9) Every last penny donated helps a child in need.

10) You'll be done by noon, with the rest of the day ahead of you!

For more information, call Sally at the NSEA Children's Fund at

(402) 475-7611 or 1-800-742-0047.