Organizing a School Walk or Jog-A-Thonby: Greg Stewart, President Orbiter Inc.
Today, school walk and jog-a thons are becoming more popular fundraisers than cookie drives. Schools using Orbiter equipment to record lap counting during jog-a-thons are successfully raising between $20-$70,000 in 2.5 hour events. Described below is how the basic setup works. For more information on the equipment referred to in this article please visit the Orbiter website.
Recommended Orbiter Set-Up for School Walk/Jog-A-Thons
Students are brought to track by grades, and allowed to run for 20 minutes to 40 minutes. After they are finished they go back to class. One or more grades will run at the same time. Event starts at 9 AM, and ends at 11:30 AM.
- Place Orbiter on far side of loop shooting the beam at the runners. Placing the Orbiter on the far side keeps students from milling around the reader, as is the case if the Orbiter is placed at the start.
- Instruct each new set of runners to do the following:
- Let the tag dangle from the wrist.
- Do not put tag on shoe, hold it or cup it.
- Keep tag on left wrist same side as the Orbiter is placed on the track.
- Run as fast as possible past the Orbiter and not clump up next to it.
- Make sure the Orbiter sees the tag for an instant.
- Create one event with Teachers as Teams. Set to "Loop Individual Start."
- Turn Orbiter off during breaks. This keeps students gathering around between breaks from being detected. Remember it takes 3 minutes to boot back up again for next break.
- For the first three laps position yourself 20 feet ahead of Orbiter reminding kids to let the tag dangle. Call out to those that forgot the instructions not to hold or cup the tag. There will be 5 out of 100 who forget!
Reports
Choose Optional Reports to gain lap counts. "Lap Counts." Split times are available as an option here. You can sort results using Excel if you'd like to create custom reports.
Why Schools are using Orbiter for Lap Counting Fundraising Events
- Eliminates the need for volunteers to mark paper bibs on each student to show laps.
- Eliminates back-ups at lap counting point, or bar code reader point. Students can run free.
- Eliminates errors that are common with manual marking. Parents are relieved, thankful, and there are no more disputes between parents.
- Validation of accuracy with review of split times.
- Events raise more money because people like doing the event.
- Instant results instead of 4 hours of manual tabulation.
- If money is raised by number of laps run, more laps and money are gained because more laps are run.
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Why Timers like Orbiter Equipment for School Jog-A-Thons?
Orbiter is unique and easy to use. You can set the Orbiter down, turn it on, and in 3 minutes you have an easy to organize, successful event. No mats for kids to trip on means no liability. There's no risk of injury for participants tripping over wires taped down across the track. Also, no cables means no worries about equipment that won't work race day due to missing parts. Plus, no elite athlete questioners or complainers!
For more information about Orbiter lap-counters and timers please visit our website or contact Greg Stewart.
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