Ninth-grader Ashley Jeffrey set a record at Central Junior High School’s annual fund-raiser that may stand for a long time.

She collected $1,005 of $17,065 taken in by students for a fund-raiser at Central, 1400 Mass. The previous personal best was approximately $500, Jeffrey said Friday.

“It was my last year at Central,” she said. “I wanted to make it memorable.”

Each year students at Central fan out into the community to collect donations for the school. The goal is to gather pledges for the FunRun, a walk/run that was Oct. 31.

The money raised from the 21st annual FunRun will support after-school activities and camp scholarships or be used to buy uniforms and equipment.

Jeffrey and the eight other Central students raising a minimum of $200 were honored Friday with a free lunch at the Meat Market, 811 N.H.

Central teacher Michel Loomis said this year’s overall total was a school record as well.

“That’s the best we’ve ever done,” she said.

This year’s goal was $14,000.

Ashley Jeffrey, a ninth-grader at Central Junior High School, raised ,005 in pledges for the school's FunRun, the most by any student. Jeffrey, foreground, and other students who raised more than 00 each were provided the reward of a free lunch Friday at the Meat Market. In background, from left, are Central students Chris Nieto, Bethany Saylor, Ben Kincaid, Jackson McTaggart, Laura Ahlert, AnneMarie Ahlert and Daphne Lee.

Jeffrey said she started her fund-raising effort by approaching friends at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 2104 W. 15th St. She also collected a bundle from her mom’s former colleagues at the U.S. Postal Service in Lawrence.

“Then I went into my neighborhood,” said Jeffrey, a North Lawrence resident.

She challenged students at Central to break her record.

“That should be the goal,” she said.