Community Kindness Offers Trip of a Lifetime

A highlight of many fifth graders in Spartanburg’s School District Seven is to visit the famous mud pit on Barrier Island in the low county of South Carolina.

This January, thanks to community kindness from the Piedmont Interstate Fair, children from the Cleveland Academy of Leadership will be able to take part in a trip to Barrier Island where they will engage in learning activities that make use of their surroundings.

During the board trustees meeting in early January, representatives from the Piedmont Interstate Fair – Wayne Harmon, Executive Director of the Piedmont Interstate Fair Association; WC Bain, Chairman of the Board; J.P. Baehr, President; and Bubba Littlejohn, Board Member – did a little grandstanding when they handed over a check for $11,000 to Principal Fred Logan and Assistant Principal Virginal Jones to fund a Barrier Island Field Trip for every 5th grader.

In addition to the Fair Association – another devoted Cleveland neighbor Dellfrio, located directly across, has developed quite a special relationship with D7 and the staff and children at Cleveland. As a longtime advocate for the many gains taking place at Cleveland, and with a recent gift of $10,000 to the Northside Development Group, CEO Marco Gomez continues to be one of Cleveland’s biggest fans.