Westside Elementary School held its annual Tiger Rally fund-raiser at the school on Friday. Funds raised will go toward new playground equipment.

Each grade used its physical education period to take part in the Tiger Rally, with students going through an obstacle course, doing jumping jacks, taking part in a relay race and going through a speed-walk course.

“It was a great day,” said WES principal Connie Brown. “Everyone participated, the weather participated, parents participated — it was just a great day! We had a good number of parents come to cheer their children’s classes on, so we appreciate that community support.

“One of the parents, Mack Prisock, brought 30 bags of tomatoes for us to sell at $5 apiece, bringing in $150. He raised hothouse tomatoes.”

Students have spent the last week collecting donations and pledges from family members and neighbors. People could pledge a set amount of money for each activity set completed in the physical challenges the students took part in on Friday.

Demopolis High School football players and cheerleaders were on hand to cheer the students on. The high school students received free Domino’s pizza for their participation.

The deadline to turn in collected money for those wanting to win the overall prizes is Friday, March 12. The overall grand prize is a DS Lite value bundle, while the overall second-place prize is an iPod Shuffle.

“All monies must be turned in by Wednesday, March 24, for the participation-level prizes,” Brown said.

Those bringing in $150 or more will earn an art kit, while those bringing in $40 or more will earn a Westside Elementary dog tag, and those bringing in $10 or more will earn a Rally arm band.

All of the money collected will help to purchase a new playground system that will feature a wishbone slide, a zip slide, a rock wall climber, spiny-arch climber, therapeutic rings, a crunch bar and a curved slide.

“It’s a nice, big piece of equipment that can accommodate about 50 children at the same time,” Brown said. “It’s colorful and will match the play system that we got a couple of years ago.”

Those wanting to make a donation can still do so by making a check out to Westside PTA or Westside Tiger Rally PTA and bringing it to Westside Elementary School. For more information, call the school at 289-0377.