Clint Bowyer comes through with more donations
Nancy Horst, Special to the Gazette
Friday, August 21, 2009
Emporia students will benefit from two donations made this month by Clint Bowyer’s 79 Fund of the Emporia Community Foundation.
Donations from the fund have been used to purchase school supplies and backpacks for students and to purchase a new timing system for Emporia High School pool.
Nearly $5,000 worth of school supplies and backpacks were distributed the first week of school by friends and fans of the NASCAR driver and 1998 graduate of Emporia High School. Rhonda Peak, a friend of Bowyer and one of the organizers of the project, said he donated 125 backpacks with the Clint Bowyer Racing logo and they were filled with supplies purchased locally.
“He (Clint) is very big on helping kids,” Peak said.
Peak and her husband, Zack, were joined on a recent Saturday by a group of Bowyer’s fans and friends to divide the school supplies and fill the bags. They were delivered to all 11 schools, preschool through high school. The backpacks and supplies were to be distributed by the school counselors and principals to students who need assistance with supplies.
A donation of $6,350 to the EHS Athletic Department will be used to purchase new equipment including enhancements to the pool timing system. The donation was received after a grant application was submitted by the Emporia Aquatics Club. The pool is used by EHS physical education students as well as students of all ages who are involved in the Emporia Aquatics Club. The EHS Athletic Department will maintain and store the equipment, according to Athletic Director Britton Hart.