(Millsboro) (January 13, 2021) — When representatives from the Youth Committee at Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club met with Clara Conn this year to discuss how the Club might best support the school in its 20-21 school year, the challenges were obvious. Book fairs, reading clubs, workshops were all out of the question during a pandemic. So, when Principal Clara Conn mentioned activity bags for the students not able to get outside and play, the Club saw an opportunity to make a difference. On January 13, the Club presented Clara Conn with a check for $1,500 to support the acquisition of supplies to be used in the activity bags.
According to Conn, each teacher was allocated $250 to order items for their students that would be assembled into activity bags. Items included Legos, play dough, small travel games, cards, etc. Orders are anticipated to arrive the end of January and assembled into bags that will be distributed to the students.
In addition to the cash donation for activity bags, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club is also donating 1,426 books for use during “I Love to Read” Week in early March. Each student will receive two new books, and Kindergartners will received an additional book at the end of the school year entitled: The Night Before First Grade. Over the past few years, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club has been supporting the school’s annual spring book fair with mostly new books obtained at cost through Browseabout Books in Rehoboth, and some gently used books collected from various sources. COVID had other plans this year, and since the pandemic did not allow for a book fair this school year, “I Love to Read” week was suggested by Principal Conn.
“The Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club works to support the youth in the greater Long Neck Community in every way we can,” notes Club Youth Committee Chair Apryl Parcher. “Working with Long Neck Elementary offers us many challenging ways to meet this mission.”
“We are so fortunate to have Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club support us to offer the student activities and items they might not have access to otherwise,” remarked Principal Clara Conn.
Pictured Above: Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club donates $1,500 to be used for student activity bags as well as two books for every child at the school to be part of March’s “I Love to Read” week. (Left to right): Judy Hall, from LNSRC holding representative books; Stephen Lovellette, Assistant Principal, LNE; Clare Conn, Principal LNE holding a sample activity bag; and Lucille Cavan, President, Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club.