classroom pets perish, all keepsakes destroyed

[fullofit_]

I sat in quiet disbelief as the two teachers did all they could to keep from crying. I could see the pain in their eyes as they told of the countless losses their classrooms suffered. As we talked, they shared the stories of conversations they overheard among the children prior to the class bell.

One was heard explaining to others "Of course they (the classroom pets they so adored) all died; they were in a fire, there was no way they could get out."

“From the mouths of babes”.......

It is a senseless act to intentionally burn a pair of classrooms up. Further to end a school year with the loss of such treasured things as pets loved by all the students is truly the saddest of things.

Pets were not all that was lost. Countless mementos that would have been brought home after just a short end of the year countdown are lost as well.

Sadly the effects do not stop there. The Teachers have lost pictures of students, wonderful keepsakes given to them by their classes over the years and so many teaching tools and supplies. Many of these supplies they have spent their own hard earned money on.

The district will replace all items purchased with funds from their budgets, but cannot afford to pay for the items the teachers have spent years purchasing from their own funds.

If they each have to replace these items themselves, next year's students will not have much of a chance. It is a cold reality that here in Arizona the schools are under funded. We lack a State government with the intellect to change the system, so the schools in less then affluent areas tend to go with out.

So how do the schools manage? All across our state in the poorer districts it is the Teachers year after year that fill the void. This void is so large and so cruel It brought me to the point of total frustration to hear them tell of their plight.

The Arizona LX Club will do what we can to make this right.

Our plan of attack is simple. First we will be letting the people of our state know that the classrooms were set on fire. See this district is not affluent enough to even merit any news coverage.

We will be taping an interview with the teachers and hopefully some students this week. It will be a feature in the Arizona LX Club news.

The second stage of this effort will be a fund raiser. This event will be handled by a special committee. It only took one phone call to Ryan and he sprung into action. Quickly he posted here, and he has followed up that early start by volunteering to chair that committee. He will be completely in charge of all aspects of this event. I will be working for him on this, and I hope many other members will answer his call for help.

I thank you for taking the time to read this, and also would like to add that there is a fund raising account set up by our technical director FactoryD

Once again,

All the best, (what I always find here)
now drive on (strive to achieve)
full

[fullofit_]

I want to save this for the pictures being sent by the teachers.
slide show

[ICLOSEM]

My mother is comeing into town to help them clean out what is left tomorrow and is going to be takeing pictures

[fullofit_]

Thanks for the update,
keep up the good work
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[fullofit_]

Is there any update on the amount of money raised with the donation account for the teachers? I fear that we have let that fall from public view, see the first post for the link fellow lxers

atbndo
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[ICLOSEM]

Since our first post on may 6 we have recieved $50.00 in donation money. A nice start for a worthy cause.

[Jack Evers]

Since our first post on may 6 we have recieved $50.00 in donation money. A nice start for a worthy cause.

I'll match that if you will tell me where to send a check and who to make it payable to. NO PAYPAL.

[ICLOSEM]

Jack you can come out to the car wash on June 9th and donate if you choose to. The more lx's we have show up the better and it should be a good time.