North Bend Montessori students recently helped raise more than $4,000 to help research a cure for diabetes.

Every year, for the past 10 years, North Bend Montessori school has celebrated the 100th day of school by performing a community service project. This year the recipient for this activity was The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Two goals were set, the first to collect 100 pounds of coins. The second was for each of the six classrooms to raise $100 by “Walking for a Cure” for 100 minutes. Local merchants, including Scott’s Dairy Freeze, Blimpie, Sawdust, Chocolate Factory, Twede’s, Another Hair Place, Alpine Chiropractic, Rocko’s, North Bend Shell and Mount Si Shell helped with the task by placing collection jars in their businesses.

A whopping 155 pounds of coins, totaling $1425.81, was collected. Students walked for 100 minutes and quickly surpassed their $100 goal by bringing in $2881.73.

All money raised went towards “Team Hailee’s Hope” for former North Bend resident Hailee Elmer. The grand total of $4307.54 was presented to JDRF representative Brad Benson.

School staff sent out a “big thank you” to all who helped North Bend Montessori make a difference in the search for a diabetes cure.