SPANISH FORT—Spanish Fort Middle School is nearly $5,000 closer to its $50,000 fundraising goal for construction of a special-needs playground.

SFMS Principal Craig Ross, who organized the Junior Ironman Youth Triathlon, said Saturday’s event did as much to galvanize community support for the project as it did to raise funds.

“When we had trouble with the clock we were planning to use, we actually decided not to even time anybody and just have the kids do it for completion,” said Ross, calling the turnout and the community spirit shown “awesome.”

“We had tons of parents, tons of volunteers and even a lot of the employees at the (hosting) Daphne YMCA (who) came out to root the kids on at the finish line. It was just amazing, and I’m so proud of everybody who took part. I really just walked away feeling great about it,” he said.

Ross, who is in training for the Nov. 28 Ironman competition in Cozumel, Mexico, said the majority of Saturday’s 51 participants were middle-schoolers but several elementary-school kids took part as well.

Ross said participants were sent through in waves of six, each of whom swam 50 yards, biked three miles and ran one mile.

“Nobody seemed to care we weren’t timing them. The challenge was already there to see if they could make it through the course,” he said.

To date, Ross said the fundraising effort—dubbed “Going the Distance for Kids”—has collected about $4,800. An estimated $50,000 to $60,000 is needed to construct a special-needs playground on the SFMS campus to serve middle-school students from across Baldwin County.

The biggest boost, Ross said, came in the form of a $2,000 Bank of America donation, and he is hopeful other local businesses will follow suit.

Top-tier donors, he said, will be honored by having their names engraved on a granite plaque to be installed upon the completed playground.

Donors contributing between $500 and $999 dollars will be named bronze donors; those contributing between $1,000 and $1,999 will be named silver donors; and individuals or companies donating $2,000 or more will be honored as gold donors.

Plans are already in the works for another triathlon in the spring, Ross said, noting three businesses have already stepped up and expressed interest in making it happen.

Tax-deductible donations for “Going the Distance for Kids” can be made to Spanish Fort Middle School, either by dropping them off in the main office or mailing them to Spanish Fort Middle School, 33899 Jimmy Faulkner Drive, Spanish Fort, AL 36527.