As part of its celebration of being a member of this community for 65 years, Jackson Academy will pursue service, events, and creative endeavors throughout the 2024-2025 school year. The initial service project to start the anniversary year is a campaign to help local firefighters renovate the station located within the JA neighborhood at Canton Mart Road.
JA Nurse and Lower School Counselor Kathy Sheffield has coordinated JA’s portion of the effort. Every year she makes a poster of pictures for the firemen of their visit to Jackson Academy, and hangs it in the firehouse. Something Sheffield noticed during her visit was the condition of the firehouse where firefighters live during their 24-hour shifts. After a proposal by Sheffield about ways to support firefighters, JA decided to partner with local Fire Station 17 to raise money and spearhead a much needed renovation.
Sheffield says that the Jackson City Council has approved the Memorandum of Understanding for the project, and Councilman Ashby Foote commended JA and its students for having a willingness and a heart for improving their community.
Planned work at the fire station includes gutting the kitchen and remodeling the interior and exterior living spaces. Three different financial levels have been created for the renovation based on the amount of money we can raise for these deserving firefighters. Since Sheffield’s first visit, donations for the firehouse have already been made. Cowboy Maloney’s has donated furniture for the living area. A family has offered to assist with countertops. Another family has donated a new microwave oven for the kitchen. JA’s Student Council has agreed to stock the kitchen cabinets with food and supplies for the fire fighters once cabinets are completed. Sheffield says she is hoping to have an Eagle Scout troup help with landscaping. With a goal of $30,000.00 in projects and remodeling, JA asked community partners and businesses to contribute goods and services to the project. Electrical, plumbing, appliances, building supplies and funds are all needed to complete the task for these deserving first responders.
If you are interested in or know someone that would like to partner with JA on this important project, please contact Kathy Sheffield ksheffield@jacksonacademy.org or Jim Wilkirson jwilkirson@jacksonacademy.org. Once community partners are secured, JA students will lend their hands collecting items to complete the project and goal.
