Fairfield South Elementary School students exercised for a good cause February 7, raising $856 for the Fairfield Food Pantry.  On Friday, February 14 students and physical education teacher Walt Squier presented a check to Judy Dirksen, wife of the late Howard Dirksen, for whom the fundraiser is named.  Throughout the day on Feb. 7, students jumped rope and hula hooped to music as part of the “Howard Dirksen Fitness for the Food Pantry Event." For the fourth straight year, the students raised funds to donate to the pantry, a local non-profit agency that provides food and other items to Fairfield families in need.  This year, they changed the name to honor Mr. Dirksen, pantry founder and former Fairfield teacher who passed away on December 18.  

Pictured here are Ann Parsell, daughter of Howard Dirksen; the Dirksens’ grandchildren Eli, a 7th grader at Creekside Middle School; and South 5th grader, Piper and 1st grader Olive,  Judy Dirksen, Pantry Trustee and PE Teacher Walt Squier.