By J1 Reporter Layla Wilke-Conant

Marian’s Walk-a-Thon (WAT) fundraiser is a big event for the school. Students work together to raise money through bake sales, give-back nights, car washes and more. The money raised goes directly back to the students through tuition assistance. Students begin the day with an assembly and then leave the school to walk their given number of miles. Once back, they participate in a themed party like color, with chalk powder to throw, or splash, with dunk tanks and a water slide. WAT is one of many traditions at Marian that helps bring the classes together while also giving back to the students themselves. 

Sr. Peggy Miller, a Servant of Mary, brings a view of WAT that is different from the majority. She gets to experience the event as both a Servite Sister and, before her retirement in the summer, as a WAT money counter through the advancement department. She began this job in 2004 and calculated money from large donations that was kept in a database not accessible to students. Her specific job was to figure out the taxing for the large patrons. Through the years, her job changed, as it is now all done online. She also noted how the donations are larger because, through time, students tend to raise more money. Keeping this in mind, due to inflation, $20 in 1990 is equivalent to $47.07 today. Even though past students raised less in amount, the money itself was worth more. Sr. Peggy worked many jobs in the advancement office including but not limited to Marian FEST, the golf tournament, scholarship breakfast and senior breakfast. Although her life has slowed down since retiring, and she is happy that she has more time for things, she does miss her job. “I still dream about it,” she said. Sometimes it’s dreams of her old work, like preparing for raffles. Other times, it is regular dreams with her old coworkers present in them. 

Sr. Peggy was a graduate of Marian in 1965 and participated in Marian traditions quite different from ours today. During her years at the school, they had torch night where the seniors passed candles off to the juniors. Sr. Peggy was the Spirit of Marian, meaning, during torch night, she wore a long gown with a train. Two freshmen were assigned to assist her. The Passing of the Torch ceremony currently held after communion in the senior baccalaureate Mass serves a similar purpose, but there is no Spirit of Marian student like they had in the ‘60s.  

They also had the Christmas tea where the entire school dressed up and drank tea together. With these events, the students got to know girls from different classes, and built a sisterhood with each other. Sr. Peggy still meets with a small group of her classmates. Once a month they get together, alternating from just socializing, to a book club meeting about their current read. While Sr. Peggy did not have WAT back in 1965, she still participated in many traditions that brought her closer with her classmates and the rest of the school.