“Fox Road Elementary School is back in session!” ministry leader Lori Surlak shared. “I was recently at the school, delivering some items to the Fox Den hygiene pantry we support, and I cannot tell you enough about how appreciative the students and faculty were for all we accomplished over the summer through ServeRDU. Dr. Lewis, the principal, put together a slide show with pictures of our teams working and gave a presentation to the faculty when they arrived back at the campus. They were overwhelmed by the amount of people and support they saw at the school. Parents and students have been complimenting the look of the landscaping, bus lines, and freshly painted classrooms, and the school social worker commented about the sense of pride everyone felt walking into the newly-cleaned-up facility. “One particular story I wanted to share was the bench revitalization that happened in front of the school. After the amazing team of skilled carpenters completed the benches, Dr. Lewis shared with a few of us that the people that most frequently used the benches were the students in the special needs class. They had been sitting on those dilapidated benches for years now. Dr. Lewis introduced me to the class, the teacher, and teacher's assistants. They were all so thankful and could not stop gushing about what a difference those new benches have made. One student said, ‘Now I don't get splinters anymore.’” Please continue to pray for the staff and students at Fox Road Elementary, that they would experience God’s love through the support and service of Summit ministry teams. Here are some ways you can get involved with the Summit’s Serve365 ministry at this school (contact Lori at loricarroll26@gmail.com for next steps): Mentor: Mentor a student one-on-one once a week during the school day. Adopt a Classroom: A small group, family, or group of neighbors (any group of at least two people) rally behind and work directly with one teacher and provide classroom support throughout the year. This relationship can vary depending on the group and the teacher’s needs and might include periodically helping in the classroom or helping the teacher prepare the classroom for seasonal or school break changes or working on some classroom upkeep. Stock the Fox Den: As a small group or individually, commit to stocking the Fox Den with needed supplies (hygiene items and new or slightly used clothing) once or a few times per year. Maintenance/Landscaping: Visit the school one weekend per month to maintain the grounds, provide handyman support, or be a contact when needs arise. PTA Supplemental Support: The school has very little parental involvement, so any teacher appreciation efforts, like bringing breakfast or a treat for the staff, are a huge blessing. There are many opportunities to get involved in Serve365 projects through your campus. Go to summitchurch.com/missions/local to learn more.