Field Day at Field Park Features Blackhawks Mascot and Mini-Relay for Life

As the school year winds down, Field Park Elementary School students cheerfully left classes a couple hours early on Tuesday afternoon for their annual Field Day—which included both a visit from Chicago Blackhawks mascot Tommy Hawk and a miniature version of Relay for Life, an annual Lyons Township staple.

Students split up by grade levels for 15-minute intervals at each of several stations—including an opportunity to take a shot on Tommy as goalie—but for the first year, one of those stations was 15 minutes of walking the perimeter of Field Park itself, a scale version of the 12-hour fundraising-for-cancer-patients ordeal LT students will perform in two weeks.

“The walking symbolizes the cancer patient’s journey, from the minute they’re diagnosed until they’re cancer free or whatever happens,” said Carmen Carrizales of the American Cancer Society, who was on hand to provide education and support for the walkers. “It’s significant of what they’re going through.”

While parents were asked to make small donations, the Field Park walk was more educational than lucrative.

“The goal at this point was not to make money—it was the get the kids on their feet and aware of the charity,” said Field Park principal Brad Promisel.

However, Promisel said that next year, the school may expand the mini-RFL into a full-year fundraising event, perhaps capped by a lengthy jog around Field Park for fifth-graders.

In the meantime, hordes of kids K-5, laughing, yelling, screaming and generally having a blast, dashed around Field Park, from soccer to kickball to jump rope and even a few more unique games (three-legged races, outdoor bowling and using a Western Springs Police Department speed scanner to test pitch speed—the last with minimal success.)

“There’s no rewards, no prizes,” said Field Park gym teacher Ryan McLaughlin. “It’s just an afternoon of being active and having fun.”

The biggest hit, though, of course, was Tommy Hawk. Just like at a Blackhawks game, the promise of a flung free T-shirt prompted cheering, applause, free-for-alls and a few lucky, proud recipients.