Braelinn

had been the front-runner for three years, but

this year Peeples surged ahead.

"We

always support this event because it is a

wonderful local service for children in

need," said Peeples Principal Sandra Watson.

The

individual child with the highest contributions

was 5-year-old Jeffrey Hannah, a kindergartner at

Peeples. Jeffrey, son of Ron and Kris Hannah of

Fayetteville, said his strategy was to campaign

at his father's place of business. Jeffrey and

three friends watched a Braves game as his reward

for his accomplishment.

Employees

of Southern Crescent Mortgage, along with some

supportive grandparents, came through for abused

children served by the Jim Friday and Asden

Johnson homes in Fayette County. Peeples students

received an assortment of software for their

efforts, compliments of AIS Computers in

Fayetteville.

Students

participated in the power walks in their physical

education classes, and those who collected $25 or

more in pledges received Power 2000 t-shirts

designed by Bonnie Webb, a junior at Fayette

County High School.

The

fund-raiser, in its 11th year, is endorsed and

supported by the Fayette County Board of

Education.

Local

businesses help defray expenses and offer prizes

to classes with the highest participation. Prizes

this year included Baskin Robbins ice cream,

Pizza Hut and CiCi's pizza parties, giant cookies

from Cookies to You, and tickets to DixieLand Fun

Park.

Debra

Friday, PE teacher at Peeples, was rewarded with

a sapphire and diamond ring from Mercer Jewelers.

Fayette

Youth Protection Home Inc. is the nonprofit

corporation that owns the Johnson Home and the

Friday Home. The combined facilities house 16

children for extended care with four additional

spaces for emergencies.

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