Lineman Jordan Gaines paid forward $500 to Hickory Tavern Elementary School to help them build a new playground.
According to School Librarian Claudia John, the Hickory Tavern Panthers have been raising funds for the project for the past several years.
“The playground we currently have has been there for a long time and is starting to fall apart beyond repair. It also is not big enough for the number of students who play on it daily,” said John.
Jordan said, “I believe in keeping fun in schools to help keep kids engaged and learning without being always in a classroom setting. The social and physical aspects that are learned through play are essential in a kid’s life.”
Donations can be made at the school at 163 Neely Ferry Rd., Gray Court, SC 29645, and the school will hold fundraisers throughout the year. Contact cpjohn@laurens55.org, tsouth@laurens55.org, or 864-575-2126 to help.
You can follow the Hickory Tavern Panthers at facebook.com/HTPanthers or visit their web site at htem.org.
Laurens Electric’s Pay It Forward program began in 2015.
Every Laurens Electric Cooperative employee is entered into a random drawing to receive $500 to pay forward in any way they choose.
Each month a new name is drawn, and the employee then has one month to apply the funds toward their own act of kindness.
This initiative is budget-neutral; the funds come from Laurens Electric’s charity events, which employee volunteers make possible.