Fayette schools chip in for Coweta neighbors in need

When a tornado ripped through Coweta County in late March, the storm left a trail of devastation in its wake. The road to recovery will be a long one, and schools around Fayette County are stepping up in a variety of ways to help their neighbors in need. 

It hit especially close to home for a couple of Fayette schools. Rising Starr Middle band director Brandon Respress and his wife Katherine, a math teacher at Sandy Creek, and their two children survived the storm, but their home was destroyed. The Rising Starr band family set up a GoFundMe to help the family, raising nearly $17,000 so far. 

The Flat Rock Middle band has placed the focus of their “Kindness Kampaign” to contribute to both the Respress family and the Newnan High School band. 

Elementary schools Crabapple Lane, Kedron, and Robert J. Burch are all collecting items for Atkinson Elementary. Crabapple Lane is organizing a school project called “Adopt an Atkinson Student” where they will donate school supplies and other basic necessities for Atkinson students. 

Before spring break, Kedron had already gathered enough for 150 goodie bags of school supplies, flashlights, books, and groceries. They planned to keep going with a goal to gather more grocery gift cards and flashlights. 

Freshman class officers at Starr’s Mill High are leading a donation drive for toiletries, canned goods, and other non-perishables. Inman Elementary is doing a donation drive of their own. 

Students at Peeples Elementary completed motivational cards and also made plans to collect needed items after spring break.

While it will be a long time before life in Coweta County returns to normal, their neighbors in Fayette County will be reaching out to help every step of the way.