Back-to-school bashes have been celebrated and classes are in full swing. As teachers and students face a brand-new year of school, they do so with the support and generosity of their community and a few humanitarians with notorious green name tags.
Shopping at our local Publix supermarket may be “a pleasure,” but it’s also a charitable patronage. As shoppers approach checkout, they are given the option to donate toward a Publix service initiative.
Through that friendly conversation that is so indicative of Publix associates, our Rome Publix cashiers raised an impressive $17,040 for Tools for School, an initiative created by the supermarket chain that serves local schools. The recipient of this year’s generous donation was West End Elementary School.
Lynn Dickson, Publix store manager, explained, “Every year our organization organizes a back-to-school program for all the kids. This program was created to serve children and families who may struggle to buy school supplies. We used to put together bags stuffed with school supplies, but now we offer donations from our local area.”
Dickson said that the Rome-Floyd County community has been more than happy to contribute. “I’ll tell you that our customers love the fact that the money donated stays here in Rome,” she smiled.
West End Principal, Dr. Dennis Drummond, stood with Dickson and the Publix team, smiling as he expressed his gratitude. “We’re very, very appreciative. Because the donation was so much this year,” he turned toward his Publix partners and said, “with your permission I’d like to share it with our sister schools.”
Dr. Drummond said that he will be sharing a portion of the funds with the five other Rome City elementary schools, “...to just bless everyone, since this was so generous.”
Dr. Drummond explained that the money goes toward a great deal of items and programs that benefit RCS students. First and foremost, the funds are used to ensure that each student has the supplies they need for their school year. Teachers also use funds to embark on innovative experiments and creative projects within the classroom. Additionally, he said that they also offer the kids celebratory treats, like birthday cupcakes.
“We’re thankful for this partnership,” West End’s principal said, “we really appreciate it and I know all the teachers and kids do as well.”
