A Note of Thanks
Eaton Editorials from Jennifer Malone May 13th, 2009In an era of high stakes accountablity for education, budget cuts, and general desperation for many families due to hard economic times, we have much to be thankful for. Our community has once again embraced this school, our faculty, and our students, and showered us with generosity.
Thank you to Two Rivers Church for donating the start-up monies for our weekend food backpack program. Currently, we are sending home 80+ backpacks of food each Friday with our students. One of the small group ministries from Two Rivers spent two weekends weeding, pruning, cleaning up, and mulching our Mary Lee Hitch Reading Garden. It is beautiful! Also, in case you were not aware, with budget cuts came a reduction in landscaping services. Church members last August weeded and mulched our playground.
New Providence Baptist Church has embraced all the schools of Loudon County/Lenoir City and provided delicious meals, snacks, and desserts for our staff each month of the school year! They are hosting a large family celebration for the schools on May 17 at Tate & Lyle Amphitheater in Loudon which begins at 4:00.
Central United Methodist, our next door neighbor, graciously allows our students and families to utilize their worship center for grade level musicals. Also, they daily allow our parents to use their parking lot.
Dixie Lee Baptist provides breakfast for our staff two times each year.
Loudon County Baptist Association provided a hamburger lunch for our staff.
First Baptist Church allowed the entire Loudon County school system to use their facility on opening day.
In addition to the churches, we have parents who have gone above and beyond. Tonya Pierce has spearheaded many food projects, and Sherri Childress also worked with her business to provide hundreds of food items for needy families.
Whenever I become the slightest bit discouraged, I remind myself how very fortunate we are. We owe our community a note of thanks!
September 8th, 2009 at 8:50 am
This is such great news. I would suggest contacting local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts also who are known for volunteer work. But in addition, Scouts need to perform “tasks” or “duties” to earn merit badges needed for promotion. And those going for Eagle Scout rank need a good community project to complete. In exchange for the volunteer help, the Scouts earn the requirements necessary for promotion and awards. Perhaps help with painting, building benches or picnic tables, greenhouses, gardens, landscaping, etc. I was as a Boy Scout from Cub Scouts all the way to Assistant Scout Master myself and couldn’t have advanced without the opportunities to volunteer. This could be a great opportunity for both the school and Scouts.