THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 23, 1995 TAG: 9502220150
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines
Bull's eye!
Ashley Holland let that luscious, juicy, lemon cream pie fly, centering it right in the face of her teacher, Pat Cary.
The kids at Booker T. Washington Elementary School cheered. So did Cary - after she wiped the ingredients out of her eyes and nose.
Then Chris Johnson took aim with his pie, grazing the teacher.
Ashley and Chris each raised more than $100 for the Heart Fund, and with that earned the privilege of making their teacher pie-eyed.
Chris raised $100.50 in rope-jump pledges, and Ashley an even $100 in the activity for the American Heart Association.
This was the second year of the school's involvement in a Healthy Heart Week activity.
The 1994 event netted $525. This year, the schoolchildren raised $1,101.80. The goal was $1,000.
Last year, 43 children skipped rope. Sixty-four jumpers were involved in ``Hop To It'' this year, skipping from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Friday in the gymnasium.
They took only one break. Did they rest? No way. They went directly into the Electric Slide, dancing with their teacher.
She left the gym and headed for the auditorium for a scene that looked like the Keystone Cops.
The auditorium stage was empty, save for sheets on the floor, a chair on the sheets, a teacher on the chair. Then, it was time for ``splat.''
It was wild and fun, but raising the money was work.
Chris had some help from his teachers, Ashley from her family.
``I got money from church, dad got some from work, mom got some from her day care center,'' she said. ``I did it because I wanted to help kids - and I really wanted to throw a pie in Mrs. Cary's face.''
When it was done, the mood at school switched from happy to serious.
``From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for all the hard work you've done. As you all know, my brother has a heart condition,'' Cary said, referring to Larry Meyers, an all-American basketball player at Longwood College in Farmville, now living in Georgia.
``He has Syndrome X. Only seven people in the world have it,'' his sister said. ``It's a disease of the microscopic blood vessels in the heart. It was discovered four years ago. He's in intense pain.''
All of the children who made Cary so proud got involved because of their teacher's brother, a family or friend who has heart problems or just following their desire to help.
There will be more in 1996. But, Cary said, ``we're doing eggs.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by MICHAEL KESTNER
Ashley Holland, a student at Booker T. Washington Elementary, at
right, shouts with glee after hitting physical education teacher Pat
Cary, left, in the face with a pie. To earn the privilege, Ashley
raised more than $100 for the Heart Fund.
by CNB