Concord Students Host 28th Potter's Marathon
Students, teachers and staff at Concord High School in Elkhart spent 24 hours making pottery to benefit Riley Children's Hospital.
Updated on Nov. 15, 2026 in Philanthropy
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The 28th annual Potter's Marathon was held Saturday at Concord High School in Elkhart, Indiana, with participants creating pottery over a 24-hour period to raise funds for Riley Children's Hospital. The event has raised more than $576,000 over its history and aims to raise at least $24,000 this year.
Why it matters
The marathon continues a community fundraising tradition that has supported Riley Children's Hospital for nearly three decades, giving Elkhart residents a direct way to contribute to pediatric care. Its growing cumulative total reflects sustained local participation from students, teachers and staff.
The event has raised more than $576,000 cumulatively toward an overall goal of $600,000, with a current-year target of at least $24,000 over a 24-hour period. The final amount raised at this year's 28th edition has not yet been reported.
The players
Riley Children's Hospital
Riley Children's Hospital is a pediatric hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana, operated by Indiana University Health, and it is the recipient of the funds raised by the Potter's Marathon.
The details
Students, teachers and staff at Concord High School create pottery in a studio throughout a 24-hour period, with all proceeds directed to Riley Children's Hospital. The event was started in 1999 by a ceramics teacher to raise awareness and give back to the community.
Timeline
1999: A ceramics teacher starts the Potter's Marathon to raise awareness and give back to the community.
Saturday, November 14, 2026: The 28th annual Potter's Marathon is held at Concord High School in Elkhart.
Philanthropy Context
The Potter's Marathon is a long-running school-based fundraiser that has supported Riley Children's Hospital for 28 years, extending a pattern of grassroots giving to Indiana's pediatric care. Its cumulative total of more than $576,000 places it among sustained community efforts that channel local participation into a single hospital.
Residents of Elkhart and surrounding areas can support Riley Children's Hospital through community events like the Potter's Marathon. Local giving of this kind directly funds pediatric care in the region.
The takeaway
Small, sustained community efforts such as a 24-hour pottery marathon can accumulate into significant support for children's health care over decades. Readers interested in local giving can look for similar school and community fundraisers in their area.
Further reading
For more on local giving, explore Philanthropy coverage across the Elkhart area.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WSBT.
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