Classroom Central Equips Students to Learn
By John Galles
          
Charlotte Rotarian Karen Calder was introduced as the executive director of Classroom Central to educate and update the membership on the mission and the activities of this important organization. Appointed to this position in July 2002, Karen graduated from UNC Charlotte in 1989 with a degree in English. Having worked with Covenant Presbyterian Church and Habitat for Humanity and even Mass Mutual's Women's Advisory Council, her most recent experience was with the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce. She was approached by Natalie English to consider the Classroom Central position. She is pleased to be serving this valuable organization.
 
In early 2000, a team of business leaders from the Charlotte Chamber's Center City Area Council set out to provide free supplies to the children of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School system. This team of community leaders conducted a feasibility study to gauge the level of need of students and teachers in the Charlotte community. The number of children in need of basic materials was staggering. The Charlotte Chamber, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and area businesses committed to this vision and the first steps were underway to create a "free store" for teachers of deserving students.
 
Classroom Central is a free store for teachers who work in low-income schools in the Charlotte region. Through their mission of equipping students to effectively learn by collecting and distributing free school supplies, Classroom Central served more than 80,000 students during the 2007-2008 academic year. Since opening in 2002, more than $12 million in free school supplies have been distributed to students in Charlotte-Mecklenburg and surrounding school districts.
In the spring of 2002, the Carolina Panther's Children's Charities foundation partnered with Classroom Central, providing a generous gift of $200,000 in seed money to start the free teacher's store. The dedication of the Carolina Panthers' staff to see this vision become reality was inspiring.
 
In June of 2002, Karen Calder was hired as the organization's Executive Director. Karen's passion for the program was contagious and they quickly identified a location for the store. With the assistance of the Charlotte Homebuilders Association and Harris Teeter, the store's transformation was completed in September 2002. Simultaneously, the Board of Directors and staff worked to secure product and monetary donations.
 
After many years of preparation, Classroom Central opened its doors on October 8, 2002, and currently serves over 126 schools, 6,482 teachers and 86,000 students in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg and surrounding districts. In the almost five and a half years that the organization has been in existence, more than $12 million in free school supplies has been distributed!

Below are some of their most needed items:

Traditional School Supplies

• Welcome to the club: Leigh Derby introduced Brent Royall, Senior VP at Keystone Partners. Contact Brent at broyall@keystonepartnersnc.com; Natalie English introduced Denise Hallett, who is the Community Affairs Manager for Volcan Materials. Contact Denise at hallettd@vmcmail.com.
 
• Ed Kizer introduced Anna Marshall, who was selected as the District's Ambassadorial Scholar. Anna was selected as a Morehead-Cain Scholar for the class of 2009 at UNC and is expecting to be assigned to study in Argentina in 2009-2010.
 
• Tom Robertson introduced the club's newest Honorary Member, Dr. Ruth Shaw. Ruth was the first woman admitted to the club in 1988 and served as president in 1993-1994.
   
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
 
• The Sergeant-at-Arms committee has had a lot of turnover and is in need of 3 new volunteers to work at the check-in desk (you'll be signing in visitors). Please contact Jesse Hite, 704-375-2438 or jhite@gfnet.com for additional information or to sign up.
  
• Plans for PERU 2009 are underway. In order to lock in the airline rate, 10 people (Rotarian, spouse, adult children) need to commit by September 1st. Paul Schmidt is coordinating the trip and can be contacted at 704-506-1133 or Schmidt@naviscentgroup.com. Those that have made the trip in the past two years also serve as a good resource: Herb Harriss, David Anderson, Lamar Thomas, Warren Kean, Ed Wadsworth, Pender McElroy, Luther Moore, Ed Kizer, Will Barnhardt, Erskine Harkey. Frank Martin or Carol Hardison.
   
        DATE February 6 to February 15, 2009      COST Approximately $2500 per person

Should you question the eligibility of any nominee, contact the Rotary office by 8/18/2008.