Checotah High geometry teacher Sheila Goad pulled a wagon full of tissue boxes, paper, pencils and stress balls around the Muskogee Civic Center arena Thursday.
They weren’t all her supplies.
“It’s for multiple teachers,” Goad said. “Its for my daughter, son-in-law and a friend. We’re putting it all in one big cart.”
Goad’s group joined dozens of area teachers for Pop-up Shop and Resource Fair at Muskogee Civic Center, sponsored by Lake Area United Way and Women United.
Lake Area United Way Executive Director Kim Jaquez said this year’s shop has been wonderful.
“We had a great turnout, a lot of appreciative teachers, our vendors and resources we have been providing have been very successful today,” Jaquez said.
Teachers passed tables where volunteers distributed donated school supplies. Several businesses and organizations provided reusable shopping bags. Groups including Green Country Behavioral Health, Muskogee Public Library and Fostering Hope.
Jaquez said 20 to 30 volunteers from the Rotary Club of Muskogee and Women United helped distribute the school supplies.
Goad said her fellow teachers picked up a little bit of everything, including cleaning supplies.
“This is all stuff we wouldn’t have to purchase ourselves,” Goad said. “A lot of this stuff we get for the kids.”
Kristin Barnes, who teaches pre-kindergarten at Peggs School, said “it’s great to have the support of the community and to buy things our students need.”
Fort Gibson kindergarten teacher Stacy Friend said she’s been able to get all kinds of items.
“Which is really appreciated for teachers to use in their classrooms,” Friend said.…Read more by Cathy Spaulding cspaulding@muskogeephoenix.com
