The SURF Board has been working hard, and their commitment paid off.

The 2017 Popsicle 5K Race Day brought great temperatures and weather, along with 181 race participants. With the warmer temperatures came many more runners participating in the Brain Freeze Challenge (a Popsicle at the beginning, middle, and end of the race.)

An addition to the race this year was an expanded list of activities for the kids. The Fun Run took place on the track, and while parents were running the 5K, the children were entertained with face painting, a sport walk (think cake walk, but with sport prizes); Hula Hoop games and relays.

The finale was a spirited Popsicle Palooza Contest. How many Popsicles can you eat in three minutes? SURF students were thrilled with the turn out of kids this year, and hope to expand the activities in 2018.

An important aspect of the Popsicle 5K is sponsor fundraising. Funds from the race are what make grant making possible. Students set personal fundraising goals, as well as a group goal of $12,000. They exceeded the group goal by raising $14,350 in sponsor commitments. After race expenses, students voted to put 25 percent of profits ($3,424) into the Youth Endowment Fund to benefit future boards, and the balance into the grant making budget.

On April 10, SURF held their annual Big Check Celebration, awarding $6,261.10 in grants for youth-led projects to benefit the youth and children in Davie County.

“Congratulations to the SURF Board. They did a great job with their deliberations and awards,” said SURF Advisor Tami Daniel.

The following awards were made for 2017:

• Avery Boudreau, Davie High Hunger Fighters,  $1,870. Avery’s project is Stockings for Schools which will provide 200 stockings full of school supplies to students in need. This project was started in 2013-2014 by previous SURF board members and this year is a continuation of the project.

• Luke Morton, Wake Forest Baptist Health Davie Medical Center Volunteers, $338. Luke’s project is Coloring Entre Las Lineas- A Cool Way To Learn Spanish which will provide coloring sheets and Crayons to entertain and educate children while they are in the Wake Forest Baptist Health Davie Medical Center Emergency Room waiting area. The sheets have directions written in English and Spanish.

• Samantha Smith, Family Promise of Davie County, $2,928.10. Samantha’s project is Family Promise Children’s Bedding which will provide linens and bedding for the children who will be a part of this new program to combat homelessness.

• Jacob Juarez, Davie County High School STEM students, $1,125. Jacob’s project is Birthday in a Box which will reach families in need by bringing joy to youth through the fun of a birthday party. Some families are not fortunate enough to have birthday parties or even a cake for their children. This project helps those families give their child a birthday to remember.

If you know a rising freshman who is interested in making positive things happen in Davie County, the application for 2017-2018 can be found at www.daviefoundation.org under SURF.