By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

ELLIS — Ellis High School, in conjunction with the USD 388 Education Foundation, is nearing the goal of $80,000 for its Raise the Bar fundraising campaign.

The school district is constructing a new 8,000-plus-square-foot building, which will house a weight lifting and practice room.  Raise the Bar donations will be used for new flooring and to buy new weightlifting equipment for the building.

The purposes, said EHS principal Corey Burton, is to provide a safer environment for students.

“We are already at $68,426 in our ‘Raise the Bar’ fundraising campaign,” Burton said. “With the success of our efforts, we’re in the process of ordering the flooring for the new weight room.”

A soup supper will be held Friday during the Ellis/Plainville basketball games. Proceeds will go to Raise the Bar.

Burton said there are serious safety issues with fire escapes, mold, flooring and structural integrity of the old high school building where the weight room has been located.

Raise the Bar continues through March 1, which will allow for equipment to be ordered and delivered in time for the summer weight program. For more information or to make a donation, visit the Raise the Bar website or call (785) 726-4281.