Poore Moves To The Top

Community Donations Fill Superintendent's Office

Michael Poore, superintendent of Bentonville Schools, listens Wednesday from the roof of the School District Administration Building as a group of students from Mary Mae Jones Elemetary School sing Christmas carols in Bentonville. Poore was making good on his promise to work on the building’s roof if the goal of filling his office with food donations for the Samaritan Community Center was met.
Michael Poore, superintendent of Bentonville Schools, listens Wednesday from the roof of the School District Administration Building as a group of students from Mary Mae Jones Elemetary School sing Christmas carols in Bentonville. Poore was making good on his promise to work on the building’s roof if the goal of filling his office with food donations for the Samaritan Community Center was met.

— School Superintendent Michael Poore stepped outside Wednesday to an office without walls or a roof over his head as he worked from the top of the School District Administration Building.

The Bentonville Rotary Club, along with school officials, asked the community to fill Poore’s inside office with donated food items. Once his office was full of food, he would have to move outside for a day. The goal was met as Poore worked from the roof at 500 Tiger Blvd.

Poore estimates $4,000 in donations was collected during the drive. The donations will go to the Samaritan Community Center in Rogers for its SnackPacks For Kids program.

As district employees and visitors entered and exited the administration building almost everyone waved or shouted up to Poore. Holiday music played and poinsettias decorated the rooftop Wednesday. By midday Poore had held several meetings at a desk placed on the roof for him. A coat hanger, lamp and name plate gave the roof an office feel.

“The importance of this is that there are so many kids reliant on our free and reduced breakfast and lunch programs,” said Poore, a Rotary Club member. “They may not get these meals at home.”

Mary Mann, director of community relations for the Samaritan Center, said the SnackPacks For Kids program helps battle hunger at home. The organization sends out 5,500 packs every weekend to students in 91 schools in Benton and Washington counties. Additional packs are sent home during holiday weeks, Mann said.

Jayne Lowe, president of the Bentonville Rotary Club, said helping the Samaritan Community Center with the SnackPacks program throughout the year is a major club initiative.

“We have been doing this for at least four or five years,” Lowe said. “We keep trying to find ways to keep it in front of the public. When Michael came up with this idea we were more than excited.”

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Samaritan Community Center

For more information, visit samcc.org

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