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Thanks for your support - we hope to see you back in 2009
30th Anniversary
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Visitor Center at Neptune Park, St. Simons Island, Georgia
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St. Simons Elementary School PTA members Creta Nichols and Vickie Myers organized the first Super Dolphin Day run in 1978. A fitness craze swept the nation in the Seventies, and Mrs. Nichols and Mrs. Myers saw the race as an opportunity to encourage the students at SSIE to become more physically active. They christened the race “Super Dolphin Day” for two reasons: because the dolphin is the mascot at SSIE and because the new version of Superman starring Christopher Reeves had just been released in theaters and was captivating children across the country. They thought that the combination of the Superman theme (note the dolphin’s cape) and the school mascot would get the students excited about the race.
The first race included only the one-mile fun run; however, it was so successful that the PTA decided to make Super Dolphin Day an annual tradition. Eventually, they added a 5K and 10K race as well as a pre-race pasta party traditionally held at the school cafeteria the night before the race.
When Oglethorpe Point Elementary School opened in 1994, the OPES PTA joined with SSIE PTA to help organize the race and to share in the proceeds. Today, the three races annually attract about 1000 participants and spectators, and the event is one of the largest fundraisers for the PTAs of both schools.
Where does the money go? The PTAs combine the money raised from Super Dolphin Day with the money raised from their other events to purchase items at both schools to enrich the students’ learning experience. Recent purchases have included Smart Boards (a new computer-based technology that is replacing the traditional chalk board), sound systems, playground equipment, and digital cameras.
Contact Information:
Cindy Curry, Oglethorpe Point Elementary School Co-Chair 912.222.3005
Lesli McQuigg, St. Simons Elementary School Co-Chair 912.617.0349
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