Boston Whaler hosts school supply drive for area students

For the ninth consecutive year, Boston Whaler is continuing its “Boatload of Backpacks” program, a school supply drive to help area students, elementary schools, and teachers start off the new school year on the right foot. It’s a great way for Whaler employees and the company to support their local Florida community.

Employee contributions of money and school supplies are matched by Boston Whaler, helping to fill more than 150 backpacks with school supplies, which Whaler employees delivered to three Edgewater and Oak Hill elementary schools on August 23, 2019. Adding a healthy bit of fun, the backpacks are delivered in a Boston Whaler boat. Each school has their students come out to carry in the backpacks and see and in some cases climb into the Boston Whaler boat.

A team from Boston Whaler (including Rebecca Crews, Faustina Shedlock, Kim Shaller, Dave Brannan, Kerry Jones & John Williams) greeted the students and their principals at each of the schools. 

 “It’s always an exciting and fun day for our team and the kids,” Stickler said. “Boston Whaler is deeply integrated into the Edgewater and Oak Hill community. Many of us live here, we recruit employees here, and we have a strong connection to the area that really matters to us. The Boatload of Backpack program is just one of many ways we work to give back to support our community and our schools.”

On hand to receive the backpacks were Principle Becky Porter and Assistant Principle Michelle Brown, Edgewater Public School; Principal Carrie Crkvenac and Assistant Principal Jennifer Holmgreen at Indian River Elementary; and Principal Dr Jan McGee, Assistant Principal Dan Hardgraves and Lola Kemick – Tech Teacher at Burns Science and Technology Charter School. Each school receives 50 backpacks, each containing a school supply kit and additional cases of copy paper, boxes of folders and notebooks.