By J1 Reporter Elizabeth Buescher 

Sister Margaret Buchta has worked at Marian for seven years, and has excitedly observed the Walk-A-Thon fundraiser each Fall. 

Walk-A-Thon (WAT) is a school fundraiser unique to Marian: it’s almost completely student-run, and all the money it raises goes right back to the students as tuition assistance. WAT takes place early in the school year—almost immediately after the students get back to school—and takes place over several weeks in September. WAT is wrapped up with a several-mile walk that each class takes on the final Friday in September. 

One of Sr. Margaret’s go-to ways to support the fundraiser is talking positively about WAT with students, especially freshmen. She works primarily as a study hall monitor for Marian; so she often gives advice to freshmen, since they’re the only class with a required study hall and the class in need of the most help. 

Sr. Margaret loves to go to as many kickback nights as much as possible, no matter what class they’re for, often getting takeout with Sr. Peggy Miller. Sr. Peggy, former business office assistant, would also drag her to all of the class car washes each year before Sr. Margaret worked at Marian, and they’d both have shiny cars at the end of September. One of Sr. Margaret’s favorite kickback nights was at Dairy Chef in Elkhorn. She’ll go with Sr. Peggy to just about any kickback nights that have take-out as an option.    

Sr. Margaret said, “The creativity [of the girls] is so fun.” She remembers how she observed a few seniors turn in more than $900 one collection day from just one lemonade stand. 

Despite enjoying walking, Sr. Margaret doesn’t walk with the school on the day of WAT. Instead, she works with other parts of WAT, like handing out water or sitting with the girls who are unable to walk. Next year she hopes to join the classes walking the shorter route. 

Over the years, Sr. Margaret has noticed small changes in WAT, especially in the bake sales. The class bake sales haven’t always been so extravagant, with themes, decorative foods, and raffles. In years past they’ve been simple bake sales, just some wrapped treats on a few tables. 

Despite whatever goes down between classes, Sr. Margaret always loves the collective excitement of the entire school when the final total is announced on Walk-A-Thon day. She loves the leadership opportunities that WAT provides to students and how it directly supports girls going to Marian. Most of all, Sr. Margaret and all of the other Servants of Mary show their support by praying for the school that the Servants of Mary founded back in 1955.