Class of 2011 to present 'Cowadunga' fundraiser

Date: 5/10/2010

May 10, 2010

By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



WILBRAHAM -- Why is the Minnechaug Class of 2011's fundraiser going to be a good cause to support?

"It's going to be hilarious and suspenseful watching the cow move around," Andrew Johnston, class president, joked, adding, "who can't have fun with a dunk tank, and who doesn't want ice cream?"

Cowadunga will be coming to Minnechaug Regional High School on May 15 to help the Class of 2011 raise funds for its senior trip to High Meadows and its prom.

What is Cowadunga? "The mother of one of the girls in our grade who moved here freshman year from out west brought the idea from out there," Johnston explained. "The idea is that the football field is separated into equal plots of land, each numbered and corresponding to a ticket that the kids in our class have sold." A cow from a farm in Wilbraham has been donated for use during the event; she'll wander the field and whoever "bought" the plot of land where she does her duty will win $500.

Tickets for each plot of land are $5 and can be purchased from any Minnechaug junior or at the following locations on May 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.: the Village Store on Main Street or Hampden Bank on Boston Road in Wilbraham, as well as the Village Food Mart in Hampden.

In addition to the cow-watching portion of the day, different clubs and sports teams will have booths around the field. There will also be face painting, ice cream, a dunk tank and concessions run by the Class of 2011 as well as entertainment from a local country band.

"This past year, the big local event, the Peach Festival, was cancelled due to lack of volunteers. We saw an opportunity to hopefully create a different festival that the community could latch onto," Johnston said. "So, unlike most stereotypical high school fundraisers, we really geared this to kids across all ages. We basically have something for everyone."