Teaching is Not a Spectator Sport…Be part of the team at The Educator Warehouse! Story and Pictures By Maria Glazener
Evenconcepts of education, one thing
with the ever-changing ideas and
remains constant: teachers and schools will always need supplies and resources. The Educator Warehouse is once again stocking its shelves to be the go-to place for WinstonSalem Forsyth County teachers. Expanded shopping rooms, more inventory and a new logo, is just the start of a great year for Karel Chandler and The Educator Warehouse! Becky Seay is the new part-time manager, and she helps keep the organization running smoothly. Director Karel Chandler says, “Having another person here really helps us stay on top of things. We have inventory arriving each week over the summer and we really want to make sure we are ready to go when the school year starts!” Earlier this year, The Educator Warehouse had help from the BB&T Lighthouse project. The BB&T Lighthouse Project, held each May and June, gives employees the opportunity to put the BB&T mission into action, doing their part to improve the communities they serve. BB&T has had the privilege to offer service and corporate financial support to many overwhelmed and underfunded non-profit organizations that continue to struggle in a challenging economic environment, and The Educator Warehouse was overjoyed by their services. From May 19-21st, volunteers rolled up their sleeves and made a positive difference by assembling shelving and organizing the inventory of items. On June 10th, many hours were spent taking a hard count inventory. BB&T donated several thousands of dollars to fund software, scanners and computers to make the task of accounting for all the materials an easier one. The Educator Warehouse also moved spaces around to create more room for teacher shopping. There is a room full of free supplies for teachers that includes lesson plans and other miscellaneous items. There is also Joanne’s Fabric and Craft room, full of art supplies and craft materials donated monthly from the company. “It is a fun and inexpensive way to decorate classrooms,” says Chandler. Besides the new shelving and remodeling, The Educator Warehouse also has a new logo. Look for this new logo on drop boxes at local banks and institutions, or bring your donated school supplies when you are out and about in
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August. There will be donation boxes at the Winston-Salem Open on Saturday, August 16 for Kids Day and also Wednesday, August 20th for School Drive Day. On August 22, the W-S Dash will be filling boxes at their home game against the Carolina Mud Cats! And if that is not enough, you can always join the Forsyth Woman team at Phoenix Grille (formally Twin City Chop House) on Monday August 11th for Girls’ Night Out! Remember – all your donated supplies give you extra prize tickets for the many fabulous drawings for gift cards! “This past year, teacher shopping tripled and our inventory tripled as well,” says Chandler. “We are so excited about the upcoming year and the resources we can offer our teachers! We are always in need of supplies, both teacher-related and business-related.” Below is a list of the most needed supplies. Most Needed Core Items for Classrooms Pencils • Pens • Colored Pencils Mechanical Pencils • Crayons • Rulers Notebook Paper Scissors (large and small) Sharpies • Highlighters • Markers Glue Sticks • Glue Bottles Kleenex • Hand Sanitizer Top 12 Office Essentials Binder Clips • Paper Clips Rubber bands • Post-It Notes Staplers, Staples • Staple removers Scotch tape dispensers • Scotch tape 1,2,3, hole punch • Desk Organizers Hand Held Calculators Jump Drive • CD Disks Sheet Protectors • Book Ends Pencil Sharpeners So when you are out shopping in August, remember to add a few more items to your cart and help make a difference to the teachers and students in the WSFC school system! If you would like to make a monetary donation you can mail a check payable to The Educator Warehouse at P.O. Box 141, Winston-Salem, NC 27102, or you can donate through forsythpartnership.org/give For additional information visit the website: forsytheducatorwarehouse.org or contact Karel Chandler kchandler3@msn.com or Becky Seay ew.becky@gmail.com.