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 2024. 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 Kathy noticed during her visit was the poor condition of the firehouse where these men live during their 24-hour shifts. Due to the City of Jackson not having money allocated to improving the station, JA has partnered with our local fire station, Station 17, to raise money and spearhead the much needed renovation.
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 Kathy’s first visit, donations for the firehouse have already been made. Cowboy Maloney’s has donated furniture for the living area and a local lighting store donated can lights to replace outdated fluorescents. JA’s Student Council has agreed to stock the kitchen cabinets full with food and supplies for the firemen once cabinets are completed. Kathy says she is hoping to have an Eagle Scout troup help with landscaping in the spring. With a goal of $30,000.00 in projects and remodeling, JA is now asking for community partners and businesses who can 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.
We hope that you will join us in this endeavor making the world around us a better place. Firefighters come to JA every year to do educational programs for the Preschool and Lower School. They give a brief talk to the youngsters, helping them see that a firefighter is their friend. They tell the students ways to cooperate with the fire department if it ever comes to their home, and they also review the “Stop, Drop, and Roll” protocol. After a little lesson in safety, excited students climb into the fire truck for a firsthand experience with what it is like to be a firefighter. Now JA students and families have a chance to give to the firefighters that serve our community and school so well.
