Sebring Middle students take a walk for Relay for Life

Sebring Middle School students took a walk on the final day of the semester Friday to raise money for the Relay for Life cancer awareness/cure effort.

The classes were shorter on the early release day, but students could get out of each of their class periods for a $1 donation per class.

They were out of class, but into the gymnasium for a walk-a-thon.

The rainy weather moved the walk-a-thon indoors to the school's gymnasium.

With students walking briskly counterclockwise along the hardwood floor it looked like a roller rink sans the skates.

Students donated additional money in fundraising challenges that resulted in two male staff members dressing as females and a female staff member dressing as a male.

Keith Mason, a clerk at the school, wore a wig, black blouse, reddish/dark pink pants suit and two necklaces.

"I would do anything for a dollar I guess," he said with a laugh. "I was trying to get out of it, but one of the guidance counselors went out and shopped for me last night."

The school is also trying to get enough quarters to line the running track.

If you line the 1/8 mile track twice for a quarter of a mile, it would take 16,000 quarters, which would raise $4,000, Mason said.

People can drop off quarters at the school, because that's too much to raise within the school, he said.

"Last year we were the number one school that gave to Relay for Life," Mason said. "We are trying to keep it that way."

A similar walk-a-thon last year raised more than $2,000 for Relay for Life, said guidance secretary Tammy Goins, who is on the school's Relay for Life fundraising committee.

"They really had a ball last year," she said. "They voted to have two walk-a-thons this year."