Cortland residents and businesses are teaming up with Cortland Elementary School to collect school supplies for teachers and students at the school. Each year the list of needed school supplies grows and this is a way to help teachers who often end up buying extra supplies from their own paychecks and students in classes that may not be able to get all the required school supplies.
Kori Rempfer and Mark Pietrowski, owners of Belle & Herbie’s vintage store in Cortland, led a successful effort to collect toys and other goods for a stocking drive for Cortland Elementary School in 2017. After the positive feedback from the school and community they decided to lead a similar community effort for school supplies. Belle & Herbie’s has provided collection baskets to organizations around Cortland for school supply drop offs until August 11, at which point the collected supplies will be taken to Cortland Elementary School to be donated.
Anyone making a donation at Belle & Herbie’s will receive a 10% off coupon on anything in the store. Lissette Jacobson, Assistant Principal, Cortland Elementary School said, “the first stocking drive event in 2017 was a great experience that brought joy to several children at the school. She said, the school felt blessed that the town came together to provide donations and are excited that local residents are participating in a school supply drive this summer as a way to help the schools teachers and students.”
These drives are providing an opportunity for residents of the small town of Cortland to connect with one another and give back locally. Donation baskets are available for item drop-offs in Cortland at the following locations: Belle & Herbie’s; Cortland Library; Cortland Town Hall; (Cortland Dough Brothers Pizza; Hair Knowledge; Resource Bank (Cortland Branch); Sam’s Restaurant.
Some sample ideas for donations could include Washable markers, 24 pack of crayons, spiral one subject wide ruled notebooks, large glue sticks, backbacks, headphones (for use with Google Chromebooks school uses), and much more.
“We call Cortland home and always want to seek out opportunities to give back locally,” Pietrowski said. “What better way than working with our local school, town government, library and fellow business owners to help provide school supplies for teachers educating the students of our town and the students themselves.”
Any questions can be directed to Mark Pietrowski at markpietrowski@gmail.com or 815-762-2054.
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