Fellowship of Christian Athletes members and sponsors at Columbia Elementary School organize supplies for South Lincoln Elementary School. Helping with the drive are Chelsey Comer, front from left, Maddie Moore, Taylor Troutt and Sarah Spitzmiller and teacher Miranda Bolden, back from left, Connor Cantrell, Eli Bolden, Braden Cobb, Ben Petty, Kody Shively, Stuart Edge and teacher Savannah Demeester. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – The Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) at Columbia Elementary School is conducting a school supply drive for South Lincoln Elementary School in Fayetteville, Tenn.

South Lincoln “received a direct hit from the April 28th tornadoes. The school had such devastation, losing most of the roof. A school bus was slammed into the front of the building,” Miranda Bolden said.

Many teachers and students lost everything in their classrooms. Bolden and Savannah Demeester sponsor Columbia’s FCA and teach fifth-grade language arts and social studies, respectively.

The drive will run through May 16 for paper, pencils, scissors, crayons, glue, folders, markers, tissue, pencil boxes, markers and books for classroom libraries. Student leaders, sponsors and parent volunteers will deliver supplies the week of May 19.

Planning a service project, fifth- and sixth-grade student leaders decided to help another school in need. The FCA chose South Lincoln “because they couldn’t imagine what it would be like to lose their school” and classroom resources, Bolden said.

The Columbia FCA hopes “to give enough supplies to help them get back on their feet and feel somewhat prepared for next year,” Bolden said.

The drive has given Columbia students “a sense of satisfaction for helping a neighboring school. Students have seen their efforts bring about exciting results,” Bolden said. They enjoyed inspiring peers to participate.

“I felt so sad to think of the devastation, but it makes me feel like I can really make a difference,” student Stuart Edge said.

“I think it’s great that we’re reaching out to help those in need,” Sarah Spitzmiller said. “God calls us all to do works for him. That’s exactly what we plan to do.”

Student Eli Bolden will be “excited to see the students’ and teacher’s faces when we deliver the supplies. I know I would be thankful if this were our school in need.”

The supply drive has shown Columbia students “every effort to help makes a difference. No matter how big or small, we call all make a difference,” Miranda Bolden said.