Leah King, Tarrant County Commissioner
J.D. Johnson and Tarrant County Commissioner
Gary Fickes help hand out school supplies
at the 2009 Back to School Roundup.
Red, yellow, blue and gray were the color choices, and red appeared to be the overwhelming favorite. And what kid on the first day of school wouldn’t want to carry a brand new red-detailed backpack? No longer considered a luxury, this multi-pocketed carry-all is a requirement for every elementary school student.
More than 8,000 children in grades kindergarten through 5th had the chance to pick up a backpack of their choice along with assorted essential school supplies at the Back to School Roundup, held August 20 at Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth. The annual event, co-presented by Chesapeake Energy and First United Methodist Church, serves low-income families who find it extremely difficult to outfit their children with the tools necessary for a successful school year. Stations for haircuts and immunizations also welcomed a steady flow of folks, although the children understandably showed some reticence at approaching the latter.
Committed to sharing a portion of the benefits of the Barnett Shale with the communities where we are actively doing business, Chesapeake marked its third year as a presenting sponsor for this well-attended Tarrant County event. Three Tarrant County commissioners – Roy C. Brooks, Gary Fickes and J.D. Johnson – were present to show their support for the event by distributing backpacks to the children.
“This is a fantastic back-to-school program, and I’m just happy to be a part of it,” said Commissioner Johnson.
“Our plan is to serve 8,000 children,” said Back to School Roundup board member Lylette Pharr, as she surveyed the enormous hall filled with young children and their parents. “I think we’re going to accomplish that from the way it looks,” she observed.
“Without corporate sponsors such as Chesapeake, we wouldn’t be able to do this,” Pharr explained. “We’re so appreciative of Chesapeake’s involvement, not only from the financial standpoint, but just your being here.”
In the end, the fact that more than 8,000 students were served, though astounding, is nothing compared to the pride and confidence each student feels as they walk into their classroom with their new backpack filled with school supplies strapped to their back.
“Through our participation in the Back to School Roundup, Chesapeake has the enormous privilege of helping many children in our community start the school year with essential materials that promote a sense of belonging and an incentive to learn,” said Leah King, Chesapeake Senior Director of Public Affairs. “Education is one of the cornerstones of our corporate-giving initiatives, and we recognize that the positive outcome of this annual event is instrumental of the long-term success of the entire community.”