October 9, 2014 will be an important date in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The 2014 Upstate Stand Down Project will host its annual event to benefit and serve all veterans in need, homeless veterans, veterans at risk for homelessness and their families. Among the services offered will be:
Medical Screenings
Employment opportunities
Clothing
VA benefits
Housing opportunities
Comfort kits
Phone room
Hot meals
Haircuts
Showers
The event will be held at Spartanburg Expo and Event Center from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Each year, District One Schools encourages student involvement with projects that build bridges between schools and the community. It is believed that these opportunities work to develop young minds with a love of service and giving and helps fulfill our mission of providing a quality, student-centered education. For the 2014-2015 school year, Spartanburg District One will offer support to this year’s 2014 Upstate Stand Down event. The JROTC programs at both high schools are facilitating this service event for our district.
The Upstate Stand Down event is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 9, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Restoration Church Expo Center located at 6655 Pottery Road in Spartanburg. The climate at this event is one of giving, encouragement, hope and acts of kindness. During this event, veterans in need and their families are presented with many benefits, both tangible and intangible, throughout the entire day. The goal is to provide many services, activities and goods, which we know are significantly needed, to launch our veterans to better and brighter days ahead.
District One Schools’ JROTC, AmeriCorps, and Swofford Career Center students will be providing hands-on assistance during the week of October 6 with services such as personal veterans’ escorts, Presentation of Colors, station set-ups, etc. Spartanburg District One would like to contribute support in the area of comfort kits items. Students throughout the district have committed to making 500 comfort kits for our veterans in need and their family members. In an effort to simplify, each school has been assigned one item to collect over the course of the next few weeks.
The goal is to collect the following items from each school by Friday, Sept. 26.
Listed below are the items currently being collected.
AmeriCorps/District Office- Various Items
Campobello-Gramling School- 250 Body Lotions (10 ounces)
Chapman High School- 250 Shampoos (14.2 ounces)
Holly Springs-Motlow Elementary- 250 Soap Bars (3.5 or 4 ounce bars)
Inman Elementary – 250 Toothpastes (2.8 or 2.9 ounce tubes)
Inman Intermediate School- 250 Toothbrushes (Standard Size)
Landrum High School- 250 Shampoos (14.2 ounces)
Landrum Middle School- 250 Toothbrushes (Standard Size)
Mabry Middle School- 250- Body Lotions (10 ounces)
New Prospect Elementary- 250 Soap Bars (3.5 or 4 ounce bars)
OP Earle Elementary- 250 Toothpastes (2.8 or 2.9 ounce tubes)
Those who would like to join in this project and assist veterans may contact the District One Administrative Office or any District One school.
Last year’s event was a great success with 358 veterans and their families receiving assistance.

— article submitted
by Paula Brooks