OSCEOLA – The Osceola PTA Spring Carnival brought families and community members together on Saturday, March 22, at Osceola High School, raising funds for teacher and staff grants in the Osceola School District. The event delivered a day full of family-friendly entertainment, featuring games, prizes, a bounce house and concessions for attendees of all ages. Raffle opportunities abounded, showcasing the generosity of local businesses and supporters. Restaurants including Cascade Bar and Grill, Dalles House, Fiesta Loca, Lucky Panda, Village Pizzeria, and Woodhill Bar and Grill donated gift cards that helped make the carnival a success. Additional local businesses contributed impressive raffle prizes, such as baskets from Coming Home and Style Escape, LLC, an Osceola Chieftain Outpost basket with gear, an insulated mug, and a gift certificate, and a breakfast basket featuring syrup from Don’s Sugar Shack. Other highlights included Chateau St. Croix Winery’s wine set, a Polaris Osceola cooler filled with s’mores supplies and outdoor goodies, a basket of jarred goods and treats from Neumann Farms, and a set of two chairs from Polaris Osceola. The Osceola PTA’s volunteers also provided children’s baskets for the raffle. Food trucks kept attendees well-fed with a variety of offerings throughout the day.
Emily Markson, president of the Osceola PTA and the event’s organizer, shared insights into the planning process. “We usually pick a date toward the fall and start reaching out to businesses toward the end of winter,” Markson said. “It just kind of rolls from there––advertising, getting flyers out, and preparing the raffle tickets for the drawing.” She also shared that estimates from the day of attendance saw around 200 people. Markson shared that funds raised at the Osceola PTA Spring Carnival directly support teacher and staff grants within the Osceola School District, enhancing educational opportunities and resources for students. These grants help cover a variety of needs, such as classroom supplies, innovative teaching materials, and professional development opportunities for educators that otherwise would not be included within a regular budget.
