Loretta Whitworth, a substitute teacher and volunteer with Ganns Middle Valley, is assisting with the ongoing brick sale and the upcoming Spring Fling.Ganns Middle Valley Elementary school is being demolished, that much is certain. But all will not be lost. Those who want a piece of the nearly 80-year-old school's history have that opportunity.
Bricks from the original building are on sale to the public to help raise money for technology in the classrooms of the new building.
The school has made 2,000 bricks available for purchase at $30 apiece. Each comes with a commemorative plaque designating it as one of the original parts of the school.
The sale will continue until the 2,000 bricks are sold - and Loretta Whitworth, a substitute teacher and volunteer with the school, said they expect to quickly run out.
"There are four or five generations of families that went through this school. This history is important to people," she said.
Thirty smart tablets for a classroom would cost the school roughly $10,000, she added. While the school isn't planning on outfitting every classroom with the technology, the sale of the bricks should help outfit nearly 20 percent of the expected student body with the tablets. These tablets will aid students in homework, note taking and technological aptitude, Whitworth explained.
In addition to the brick sale, Ganns Middle Valley's annual Spring Fling will also raise funds for the school. The event is Friday, May 13 from 4-8 p.m., during which time the school will be open to the public so they can walk through and appreciate the building's character one last time before its demolition in June.
The fair will also feature food, music, games for kids and adults and a silent auction.
"A lot of people are sad to see the building being torn down, but they're so excited when they look at the future," said Beverly Stone, one of Ganns' school nurses for eight years. "It's amazing to see the opportunities our kids are going to have because of the new building."
In the past, the Spring Fling - the school's largest fundraising event of the year - has raised as much as $18,000 to $20,000, Whitworth said, and future Spring Flings at the new school location will hopefully be "bigger and better than ever." The merger with Falling Water Elementary will bring in new ideas for events for the school, she said, which should prove to make a big difference.
"When we go to the new building, we're still going to be a great community," said Stone. "It's going to be filled with the same people."
For more information on the Spring Fling or the sale of the bricks, contact Ganns Middle Valley Elementary at 843-4700.