Golden Hall students have a challenge for their community — run one mile, chomp down four doughnuts and dash back without hurling.
Parent Joe Holman is organizing Golden Hall Academy's first-ever Donut Dash May 21 in Wild Horse Park. Proceeds will be split between the school and charities to help military families.
Holman said for this first year, donut munching will be optional.
“If you don't want to eat the donuts, give them for kids,” he said.
Holman got the idea for a Donut Dash from North Carolina State University, where students use the run to raise money for their local children's hospital.
The college students scamper two miles, choke down a dozen donuts and run back. Their event has grown to involve more than 10,000 participants and inspire dozens of donut dashes in other states.
“I know I couldn't do a dozen,” Holman said. “I don't even know if I can do four, but I am going to try it.”
Holman said he's thought about the idea for several years but didn't have a charity in mind. He said he wanted to help military families with soldiers deployed overseas.
Holman deployed for seven months in 2003 to Iraq with Air National Guard, and he said he understands the sacrifices those soldiers and their families are making and wants to find a charity to support them.
Holman said he's also become a believer in Golden Hall Academy and wanted to do something to help the new school.
His daughter attended prekindergarten this year, and he said she's at least a year ahead of her peers.
“I have seen the progression my daughter has made it's been incredible,” he said. “I think she's the smartest kid in the world ... I really like what they are doing.”
Aimee Golden opened Golden Hall in Mustang last fall as a private Christian academy serving children in pre-kindergarten through fourth grade.
Each year, she plans to add a grade until Golden Hall reaches its first graduating class. Golden Hall also offers classes on study and organizational skills for high school students.
Golden said the school is growing. Forty students are attending this first year, and she said with the exception of one family who is moving, the children have all re-enrolled for next year. Seventy children are enrolled for the fall.
“That's exciting,” she said.
So far, parents have become very involved in the school, Golden said her students know how important education is to their families.
When Holman brought his Donut Dash idea, she said a good way to reach out to the community. Golden Hall will use funds raised to buy technology for the classrooms.
Golden said they hope at least 200 people will participate in the first year.
“It's something fun,” she said. “We could build it as an annual thing and get the community involved and have a good time.”