Schools hit by hurricane to receive supplies - lots of them!

Fort Wayne Community Schools teachers and students are looking forward to a stellar school year beginning in just a short time - and thanks to their efforts the first day of school in another part of this nation will be getting off to a grand start as well! Members of the Fort Wayne Education Association have spearheaded another drive for school supplies, including everything from teacher's desks to pens and pencils. On Thursday, the results of what became a state-wide, summer-long project will be filling a semi-tractor-trailer and heading to the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. There, the items will help schools ravaged last year by Hurricane Katrina get ready to open for the 2006-07 school year. FWCS teacher Theresa Taulbee has overseen the project, that also saw members of the Indiana State Teachers Association from across the state donating school supplies. What began as a box truck full of supplies quickly became two box trucks and now enough to fill a semi-trailer. Items include 100 student reading chairs, teacher desks, boxes and boxes of textbooks and supplies for teachers to get their rooms ready and for students needing backpack articles. Now, it's getting all that stuff packed for the trip! To do that, members of the Snider High School boys soccer team have volunteered and will begin loading the semi at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 10 at the loading dock along the side of the former Newport Store in Washington Square, 6200 N. Clinton St. (near the Dollar General store.) Media may catch them in action until they finish up at about noon. Theresa Taulbee will be available for interviews.