Palm Crest embraces spring with pirate-themed carnival

Hundreds of local school students, many sporting tattered sea-faring costumes, descended on Palm Crest Elementary School on May 2 for the school’s annual spring fundraiser, “Springamajig.”

Organizers played out this year’s theme, pirates, to the fullest, with the most spectacular piece of décor being a two-story tall inflatable pirate ship being crushed by enormous octopus tentacles.

Children and their families enjoyed face painting, wall climbing, and carnival games, as well as a barbecue lunch. On center stage, sixth graders from Palm Crest functioned as emcees, overseeing a myriad of variety show type games including taffy eating contests and talent performances. Among the crowd favorites was a pirate joke telling competition, with the audience voting which joke was the most funny.

A silent auction tent sheltered approximately 250 items that had been donated by local business and families. Attendees perused the tables under the tent, bidding on everything from a basketball autographed by Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant to a ride in a Pasadena police helicopter.

Melissa Mazin, the mother of a Palm Crest second grader, co-chaired Saturday’s Springamajig carnival. She said the event has been running for more than a decade and raises tens of thousands of dollars for the school PTA. In turn, the PTA is able to supplement funding for art and music docents, computer technology and classroom supplies, among other things.

“I think La Cañada prides itself on offering an exemplary education experience for our kids here,” Mazin said. “What the public schools provide here is extraordinary, but really only so much because of the involvement of parents. Without this, kids would be getting just the basic stuff at school. We are able to give them a full academic experience.”

Co-chair Cindi Carter said Springamajig is a great local, moderately priced afternoon of fun that brings family and friends together.

“The carnival is the largest event fundraiser that we do for the school,” Carter said. “It is a community event so we try and include as many community schools as possible.”

The money raised this year is all the more critical in light of California’s state budget crisis and the financial shortfall within the La Cañada Unified School District.

“This year in particular has been a difficult year with fundraising all across the board,” Carter said. “Each fundraiser we have had this year has been down about 25% due to the recession.”

While a fundraiser figure for Saturday’s event was not yet available, Mazin and Carter said they hope it will be on par with last year’s success of $55,000.