Page 10 - The Wayne Dispatch
P. 10

Community helps students and teachers go back to school



          By Carolyn Marnon                                                                                       Goudy Park. She also set up an Ama-
             Although it seems like summer                                                                        zon Wishlist from which she received
          just started, it’s already August and                                                                   donations.  The  deadline  for  dona-
          time to think about getting the kids                                                                    tions was August 3.
          ready to go back to school.  For stu-                                                                      Brooke  looked  at  class  supply
          dents  and  teachers,  this  can  be  a                                                                 lists and the number of teachers on
          costly  event.  So  many  school  sup-                                                                  each school’s website to determine
          plies and backpacks to buy, getting                                                                     which  supplies  to  collect  and  how
          the kids registered and making sure                                                                     many.
          all those plans you had for summer                                                                         The most donated item was glue
          activities are still carried out.                                                                       sticks. “Having a surplus of items is
             Two Wayne residents took it upon                                                                     okay, as I will  just add extra to the
          themselves  to  start  school  supply                                                                   care packages,” said Brooke. “One
          drives but with very different focuses.                                                                 item that people seem to not be do-
          Here are their stories:                                                                                 nating  as  much  as  we  hoped  for
                                                                                                                  would probably be dry erase mark-
          Krissy’s Pantry is about                                                                                ers.  Many  classes  have  students
          more than dogs and cats                                                                                 using dry erase boards for activities
             Jackie  Olweean  wanted  to  help                                                                    and  those  markers  are  actually
                                                                                                                  costly but essential for the student to
          local families by hosting a Back to                                                                     have.”
          School Backpack Drive targeted to                                                                          The  biggest  challenge  with  this
          elementary-aged students. Her goal  Wayne Memorial High School junior Brooke Johnson shares about “Community Circle’  event was marketing and getting the
          is to receive and fill 50 backpacks  at Concerts in Goudy Park. Photo by Ryan Wright                    word out about what she was trying
          for struggling families. “Most of us                                                                    to  do.  With  plans  to  continue  this
          know how hard it can be to try to fit  The filled backpacks will be given  smallest  hands  to  do  great  things”  supply drive next year, Brooke says
          school supplies into an already ex-  away during a raffle that takes place  she started a Facebook page called  “I will definitely be starting the cam-
          tremely tight budget!” wrote Jackie  on Sunday, August 25, at 1:00 p.m. “Community Circle” to assist her in  paign sooner next year. That way it
          on  the  Facebook  page  she  runs  at ICON Computers. The event will  a  project  of  collecting  school  sup-  will give me more time to market it.
          called  “Krissy’s  Pantry.”  Krissy’s  be set up in the parking lot, so atten-  plies for the 2019-2020 school year  It is my hope that this event will grow
          Pantry collects pet food and pet sup-  dees  are  asked  to  not  park  in  the  that would be delivered to 179 upper  each year and reach more and more
          plies which Jackie then delivers to  parking lot.                     and lower elementary school teach-  classrooms throughout the district. I
          local residents (mostly elderly and   If  you  are  so  moved,  Jackie  ers this month.                 would like to add the special educa-
          disabled) who need some help taking  would appreciate any donations to  “I know that many students, espe-  tion classrooms for next year, and
          care of their beloved pets.        Krissy’s Pantry you may have. “We’re  cially in the Wayne-Westland Commu-  eventually be able to be big enough
             The cut-off date for donations to  still  here,”  says  Jackie.  “Outreach  nity  School  District,  struggle  to  to  reach  junior  high  and  high
          this drive is August 16. Donations  has become increasingly difficult due  acquire the supplies necessary to be  schools.”
          can be dropped off at ICON Comput-  to the lack of donations coming in.  successful  in  their  studies.  I  also
          ers,  35858  W.  Michigan  Ave,  or  Sadly, the hardest thing for me to do  know  that  teachers  struggle  with  “Every person who has reached
          Jackie can pick them up at your con-  is to have to tell people I can’t help.  being able to provide these supplies  out has helped this campaign grow
          venience.                          If anyone would like to donate, the  to their students because they have  and for that, I am extremely grate-
             The following is a generic list of  following is a list of what we are in  minimal funding and resources. To  ful,” Brooke said.
          supplies needed:                   need of: canned and dry dog food,  try  to  lessen  this  issue,  I  have  de-
             Glue sticks                     dog treats and chew bones, puppy   cided  to  make  care  packages  for  “I have learned that we live in an
             #2 pencils                      pads, dog toys, canned and dry cat  each classroom (upper and lower el-  amazing  community  with  caring
             Wide ruled notebooks            food and kitty litter.” This is an ongo-  ementary) in Wayne-Westland. These  community  members  that  would
             Wide ruled loose leaf paper     ing  collection  throughout  the  year.  care  packages  will  include  extra  love to help out with anything that
             Large pink erasers              Donations  can  be  dropped  off  for  school supplies for teachers to give  we need,” said this student who as-
             Folders with fasteners          Krissy’s Pantry at ICON Computers  to students as they see necessary. Al-  pires to be a 5th-grade teacher (‘be-
             (solid colors)                  anytime they are open.             though it is just something small, I  cause my 5th-grade teacher was the
             Dry erase markers               Community can                      am hoping that this donation will re-  best  teacher;  she  made  me  enjoy
             Scissors                                                           lieve some of the burdens on low so-  school.’) It also has helped me notice
             Multiplication/division         start with a kid                   cioeconomic status students, as well  that even though I was fortunate to
             flash cards                        Brooke Johnson will be a junior  as our educators,” wrote Brooke on  have parents who were able to pro-
             Headphones/earbuds              at Wayne Memorial High School next  the gofundme page she also created.  vide me and my siblings’ school sup-
             24 count boxes of crayons       month.  After  attending  the  Civitan  Brooke  was  able  to  enlist  busi-  plies  every  year,  I  know  there  are
             Index cards                     Youth Leadership and Diversity Con-  nesses to help her by being drop-off  some  parents  or  guardians  that
             Hand held pencil sharpeners     ference  in  Angola,  Indiana  last  locations for the collection. These in-  might not be able to do that, and I
             Highlighters                    month where she learned about on-  cluded  Karma  Coffee  and  Kitchen,  am happy to help.”
             Markers                         going  issues  in  education,  Brooke  Helium Studio, O’Dell Chiropractic,  As she posted on the Community
             Gallon/sandwich size bags       came  home  to  become  the  change  Toarmina’s Pizza and Tim Hortons.  Circle facebook page “Be the change
             Rulers/protractors              she wanted to see. With the mission  She  also  collected  supplies  during  you wish to see in the world.”
             BACKPACKS!                      of “helping shape the community’s  the  Wednesday  night  concerts  in  -Mahatma Gandhi
          10 · August 2019 · The Wayne Dispatch
   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12