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Courtesy
Bare Bones BBQ & Soulfood presented Adopt-A-Teacher at Backstory Brewery in Sulphur Springs Sunday evening. Local businesses and individuals donated supplies for the upcoming school year for area teachers to use in the classroom. Thirty-seven teachers signed up and were all adopted, including (from left) Jasmine Mejia, fifth grade teacher at Sulphur Springs Elementary School; Melissa Johnson, also fifth grade at SSES; Rikka Fulgham, presenter for Bare Bones BBQ & Soulfood; and Karen Moreland, fourth grade teacher at SSES. Courtesy
Hopkins County’s first Adopt-A-Teacher drive was held Sunday evening at Backstory Brewery in Sulphur Springs. The drive was produced by Bare Bones BBQ & Soulfood.
“We do all that we can to support our local families, businesses and schools,” said Rikka Fulgham, organizer and presenter at the event. “This drive was put together to help our community teachers. We started this drive because we have six kids that will be going to school this year, and we know teachers foot the bill on majority if not all of their classroom items. “
A total of 37 teachers were nominated through the Adopt-A-Teacher event, and all 37 were adopted, Fulgham reported, and is wanting that number to double. Due to its success, Fulgham said Bare Bones BBQ & Soulfood is also planning a Teacher’s Christmas to show additional appreciation to educators.
“As parents, we feel like it’s our responsibility to make sure teachers have the necessary items needed to ensure the safety and education of our children,” Fulgham said. “We hope this drive raises the awareness of the community on how much teachers actually do. They fill the shoes of parents, and we put our trust in when our children are away for school. What better way to show our appreciation and let them know that we support them than the Adopt-A-Teacher Drive.”
Donations of supplies to the teachers came from individuals and many local businesses and included not just pens and paper, but cases of water, hand sanitizer and other essentials for the 2020-2021 school year.
Teachers who were adopted are: Melissa Johnson, KayLee Wood, Alejandra Santana, Emily Simpson, Anna Miller, Katy Chapman, Chelby Gaddy, Allison Miesse, Karen Moreland, Maricela Resendiz, Pam Carter, Rachel Finney, Rachel Jackson, Amy Tanton, April Self, Macy Evans, Debra Kay Woods, Terra Roberts, Kimberly Slaughter, Kassie Smith, Amber Warren, Juliana Ramirez, Jeremy Delorge, Chelsea Cockrum, Tosha Utt, Bailey Dorner, Destiny Wade, Yadira Preciado, Crystal Sanchez, Nicole Horton, Brandi McCain, Carla Baxley, Jasmine Mejia, Lidia Mejia, Sofia Sosa, Katy Carr and Savanna Jennings.