Haines kindergartener Havilah Strommer, right, dug into her ice cream sundae last Friday during an ice cream pig-out at the Haines Elementary School gym. Behind her, fellow classmates Sharon Jackson and Shayna Boettcher finish their sundaes. The ice cream party rewarded the students for their Earth Week clean-up efforts . (Baker City Herald/Kathy Orr).

By LISA BRITTON

Of the Baker City Herald

HAINES Haines students joined the ranks of their school pig last Friday when they ate ice cream sundaes from pig troughs.

The troughs were actually new metal rain gutters. School staff and volunteers lined the gutters with 62 paper boats filled with vanilla and chocolate ice cream and rainbow sherbet drizzled with caramel, chocolate and butterscotch syrup.

The ice cream party was the students’ reward for their Earth Week activities around Haines.

On Friday morning, the kindergarten through fifth-graders sorted aluminum cans brought by the pick-up load to City Hall, filling plastic bags to the brim with recyclable cans.

When all counts were tallied, they earned about $800.

That’s 16,000 cans.

The money will help fund the artist-in-residence program next year for the school, as well as buy needed art supplies, said Haines Mayor Mary Jane Rose, who helped the kids with the aluminum donations.

andquot;It’s good the way this day is going, we might need the extra money,andquot; said Julie Kerns of Haines as she sorted cans into appropriate bags on Friday.

Following the can collection, the students walked through Haines to pick up any litter they found along the streets.

Then came the earned reward.

Before the youngsters descended on the ice cream treats, the school pig, Hamilton, prepared for her onslaught of young admirers.

The eight-week-old Duroc wore a necklace from Hawaii.

Erin Hansen of Haines lent the necklace to Hamilton nicknamed andquot;Hammyandquot; by the students. Hansen keeps the pig at her house and brings it to school functions.

Hammy seemed to enjoy the ice cream pig out almost as the students.

andquot;Hey look! Hammy’s having ice cream,andquot; one student shouted to his classmates as he peered into the pig’s carrier.

andquot;You’re not supposed to be eating that stuff makes you hyper,andquot; admonished another.

Hammy just kept grunting as she licked vanilla ice cream from the bowl.

The chatter ceased suddenly when one end of the middle table collapsed, sending ice cream sundaes sliding down the slick rain gutter.

Only one student at the table held his sundae so he kept eating while the others waited for replacements.

After ice cream, the kindergarteners and first-graders in Joanne Crutcher’s class huddled around the pig, watching her every move.

andquot;Guys, we have to go get ready,andquot; Crutcher said, pointing out it was almost time to go home.

andquot;Ohhh,andquot; they groaned, then trudged away from the trough.