School Supply Project back in full swing for the 2021-2022 school year

The Cordell Academic Foundation is ready and eager to complete its School Supply Project again this year.

The School Supply Project started about six years ago with one goal in mind: To provide every school supply needed for every Cordell Elementary School student.

Brooke Dodd, who is a member of the Academic Foundation, will be directing the project again this year.

“It basically means that parents don’t have to buy the school supplies,” Dodd said. “Everybody has all of the same things, so it’s an equal playing field.”

Being able to provide the students of Cordell Elementary with their yearly school supplies is no small task. Dodd said it can cost anywhere from $12,000 to $14,000.

How is the foundation able to achieve its goal?

“There’s a lot of fundraising that goes into being able to pull it off,” Dodd said.

This year is no different as the foundation is preparing to host its fifth annual golf tournament fundraiser.

This year’s golf tournament will take place this weekend, Saturday, June 26th. It starts at 9 a.m. and will be a 4- person scramble event.

Registration will be at 8 a.m. the day of the event or can be done ahead of time by contacting Dodd. The fee to enter is $200 per team.

The event will be limited to the first 18 teams and will include cash prizes for the winners. There will be contests taking place during play as well as a ribeye sandwich lunch.

While individuals may contribute to the fundraiser by entering the event, another source of funds for the project is through sponsorships from local businesses.

“It is definitely a community-supported project. I mean, there’s a lot, a lot of support from businesses and individuals in the community,” Dodd said. “We have had a lot of the same sponsors since we started it, and every year that we’ve gone back they’re always willing to participate.”

Sponsorship for the golf tournament costs $50 for a tee sponsorship and $250 for a title sponsorship.

Dodd said the ability to provide students with the entirety of their school supplies relieves stress on parents, students, and teachers. She said it is a gesture that has left many people very appreciated.

“It relieves them of a financial burden. In some cases, if you have three or four kids in elementary school, it can cost you $50 to $100 per kid just to get everything that they need,” Dodd said. “And again, it’s just nice that all of the kids have all of the same stuff, so they’re on an even playing field.”

Last year the COVID pandemic prevented the foundation from hosting their fundraiser and buying the school supplies; however, with the pandemic coming to an end Dodd said they are excited to start it up again.

“We’re back at it again this year, and we’re going to be able to provide all of those supplies,” Dodd said.

If you would like to sponsor, participate in the event, or have any questions, you can contact Dodd at 508-309-2067.

“We encourage people to participate any way they can and we very much appreciate the community support.”