School plans fundraiser with Papa John’s

Public school teachers have been known to deliver pizzas to make ends meet, but one day this month they won’t be pocketing the cash when they do so.

Elephant’s Fork Elementary School will have a Papa John’s delivery night on March 15 to raise money. Twenty percent of orders and 100 percent of tips on orders placed through the school fundraising program will go toward the school’s PTA.

“I wanted to change it up and do something fun and also help raise money, but let the teachers get prizes and let them have fun at the same time,” said Regina England, the PTA treasurer. “We need to bring our community together and go into our community and engage in our community.”

For all orders placed at the 810 N. Main St. location through the school fundraising program, school staff members will deliver piping hot pizza to homes and businesses.

“It’s a surprise,” England said. “You never know who you’re going to get.”

Teachers will dress as “pizza superheroes” and decorate their cars, England said.

Teachers have formed teams and will compete to see who will be named the most spirited. That team will get pizza for six months from Papa John’s.

Teachers that get 65 percent or greater class participation will get a VIP vacation to Massanutten. There are awards for students, too.

“That’s a fun little competition between the kids, too,” England said.

Orders will be available for carryout or delivery, and customers can choose a time frame between 5 and 7:30 p.m. that suits them.

A large pizza with up to three toppings is $15. Additional toppings, additional pizzas, sodas and sides such as cheese sticks can also be ordered.

Pizzas are available by pre-order only, but donations can be given on site at the restaurant. Anyone, whether they have a child at the school or not, can support the fundraiser by ordering.

England said the first $500 raised will go toward paying back the PTA fund for an emergency donation given to a teacher at the school whose mobile unit caught fire in December. The donation was intended to help him replace supplies and other things he personally had bought, England said.

“There was a lot of things that came out of his pocket that he lost, so he had to pretty much start from scratch,” she said. “We didn’t want him to wait until March.”

The remaining money will help fund other needs of the school.

Visit www.pjhrva.com/schools and select Elephant’s Fork to order online. The deadline to order online is March 13 at midnight.