HOPE Coalition Closing Out School Season

 

HOPE Garden in 2016

HOPE Garden in 2016

The last day of school will be May 23rd and Project HOPE activities are winding down for the season at the Lincoln School on North 10th Street in Lamar.  “We’ll be on hand with a few things, mostly paperwork into June, as well as summer field trips early in June, but we’re slowing up for the summer season,” explained Project HOPE director, Lori Hammer.

Three field trips are planned for students including a trip to John Martin Dam, one to Colorado Springs and in Denver on June 9th for the kick-off for the Rise Above programs.  Working with the Big Timbers Alliance, a tour, lunch and a pie auction was held at Lincoln last week, put on by the One Step Up students.  Approximately $2,500 was raised at the event, one of the first live auctions some of the students had ever attended.

Hammer announced that HOPE did not qualify for the Tony Grampsis grant, but is still in the running for the $1.2M grant from Expelled and At-Rise Student Services (EARSS) for four years of funding. The outcome of the grant request could be known by June 9th.  Adult ESL classes won’t be held in June, but will resume in July at the Lamar Community Building and will be back at Lincoln School in August.  Work on the school neighborhood garden will run from 4-6pm on May 22nd, the last day of school, but students and area residents will continue to weed and water on a volunteer basis.

HOPE students will take part in the Lamar Days Parade, Saturday, May 20th, emphasizing the work of the local substance abuse task force and several FLTI groups plan on having vendor booths at Willow Creek Park through the day, raising funds for HOPE and passing out information brochures.  Several donations were made to the HOPE Coalition this past month including $200 from Beta Sigma, $3,000 from Jim and Linda Clark, $100 from Sue Binder, $200 from Living Covenant, $100 from Prowers Medical Center, $100 from Quality Dry Cleaners and $100 from the County District Attorney’s office.

By Russ Baldwin

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