Talbot County Public Schools, members of the community, and local employer Choptank Transport joined forces to deliver hope to some of the youngest victims of Hurricane Harvey.
In the aftermath of the devastating storm, Talbot County Public Schools Superintendent Kelly Griffith initiated a book drive to help J.C. Mitchell Elementary School. J.C. Mitchell, which is in the Houston Independent School District and has an enrollment of 550 students, lost everything during the hurricane. The students and staff were forced to delay the start of school while they relocated to a new building, having suffered a total loss of their school, books and supplies.
TCPS launched a marketing campaign seeking the community’s support through monetary contributions in addition to books and supplies. They received significant donations of books and school supplies, along with cash donations totaling $5,410. Choptank Transport enthusiastically stepped up to provide the necessary transportation to deliver the donations.
“So many members of our staff wanted to do something to help,” explained Dr. Griffith as the last of the books and school supplies were being loaded onto the truck this week. “When they learned that J.C. Mitchell was in need of books for their children, the donations just started pouring in. Families worked together to choose favorite titles so it was truly a team effort!” TCPS also donated books and materials from the reading series that was replaced this year.
Choptank Transport, headquartered in Preston, Maryland donated their transportation services to get the books from Maryland to Texas. The company specializes in truckload freight, both temperature-controlled and dry van, as well as LTL (less-than-truckload), flatbed and intermodal services.
“We are pleased to be able to contribute to the rebuilding of Houston after such a catastrophic disaster, especially when it helps the children in the area,’ said Choptank President and CEO Geoff Turner. “TCPS has done an amazing job gathering many needed books and we are glad to provide the transportation to get them down there.”
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