Totes, vacuum cleaners among items delivered in Valentine’s Day visit
It was a Valentine’s Day surprise many teachers won’t soon forget – a special delivery of new classroom supplies from heroes in red. The earthquake on November 30, 2018 forced officials to condemn Eagle River Elementary School near Anchorage, Alaska.
That meant all of its teachers, staff and students were displaced and split between two nearby elementary schools to finish the school year. Most Eagle River teachers were given 10 minutes to remove belongings from the condemned school. Many lost personal investments of shelving, books and other educational supplies.
Following the earthquake, Lowe’s stores in Alaska began identifying additional ways to help the community recover. They provided supplies to local Boys & Girls Clubs that needed repair and met with school leaders to understand needs.
That’s when Eagle River’s PTA said their teachers needed items for their new classrooms, including totes, vacuum cleaners and organizational supplies.
Amanda Elkins, a Lowe’s Area Human Resources Business Partner, coordinated with the school to receive a wish list. Associates from the Northeast Anchorage store pulled product, organizing and labeling items for each teacher. They were then loaded up into a Lowe’s delivery truck for a big surprise.
Associates were greeted with smiles and thanked for their encouragement and support of teachers and staff members. Highlights from their visit included providing hand tools to the school’s janitor who lost his during the earthquake and giving storage totes to nine administration staff members who are currently sharing a small office.
Children in one classroom were excited to get book cases and shelving, and even sang Lowe’s associates a song of appreciation.
“We are invested in this community and its success. It’s where our associates live, work and send their kids to school,” Elkins said. “We are here and will continue to partner with our community as we all recover from the earthquake.”
Read more about other ways Lowe’s associates serve the communities where they live and work.
