Crothersville residents have an opportunity to help their local elementary school by donating gently-used sporting equipment. Collection boxes have been placed at Crothersville Elementary School, Cerro Wire and Cable Co. Inc. and Aisin Drivetrain Inc. as a community service project by Jackson County AmeriCorps/United Way.
“The AmeriCorps members are excited about this project,” said AmeriCorps Director Nancy Fleming. “It gives them a chance to help teachers, students and schools in a time when funds are scarce. The success of this project will be gratifying for them to know they have been able to provide a needed service to our community.”
The project began when AmeriCorps members met to discuss a needed service that could be undertaken for the community. Bonita Dobbs, AmeriCorps volunteer coordinator, contacted Lisa Ferguson, director of curriculum and instruction for Seymour schools, and learned that many elementary schools were in need of sporting equipment due to funding cutbacks.
“For sure, the donated physical education equipment would be a wonderful blessing to our children at school,” Chris Marshall, principal of Crothersville Elementary School, told Dobbs. “We are always in need of gently-used sports equipment so our children can enjoy the pleasures of staying physically active.”
Next Tuesday, Feb. 14, the donated equipment will be collected and then sorted and distributed to the schools on Friday, Feb. 17. Any items not appropriate for the elementary schools will be donated to the Boys and Girls Club and Girls Inc.
“Twenty- five AmeriCorps members are providing valuable services for our county in areas such as tutoring, after school programming, family literacy, early childhood education and other areas,” said Fleming.
For more information about this service project or other volunteer opportunities, call AmeriCorps Volunteer Coordinators Bonita Dobbs and Connie Pace at 522-5450, or go to www.volunteermatch.org.
