A Surprise Gift: East Lake Elementary Receives $5,000 Donation from Burlington
October 21, 2025 – There was so much to celebrate during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new Burlington store opening in Fort Oglethorpe, GA. For East Lake Elementary, school staff, and Principal, Jasmine Farrow, the day turned into something far more memorable.
Before the doors officially opened to the public, the store’s manager addressed the school staff and crowd gathered for the grand opening. Applause filled the air as Burlington representatives announced a surprise $5,000 donation to East Lake Elementary through the Adopt-A-Classroom program.
“I was completely surprised when I initially received word that East Lake Elementary would receive a donation of this size,” Farrow said during a quick interview at the event. “Our teachers work so hard every single day and this donation is a huge blessing for our school.”
The Adopt-A-Classroom partnership is a national initiative designed to help teachers get the supplies and materials that often come out of their own pockets. Burlington has been part of this program for years, using their store openings across the country to support local schools.
For East Lake Elementary this donation provides a welcome boost. Principal Farrow already has a thoughtful plan in place for how the funds will be used. “We want every grade level to feel supported,” she explained. “So we’re going to evenly distribute the funds across all grade levels. This way, each team can decide what resources will most benefit their team’s students.”
The event itself was full of smiles and celebration. Burlington employees proudly welcomed shoppers into their new store and gave teachers in-store points as an added bonus for the work they do. Farrow said the gesture reminds her just how much community partnerships matter. “When businesses invest in schools, they’re investing in the future,” Farrow said.
For East Lake Elementary, the $5,000 donation represents a spark of encouragement and a reminder that impactful work matters.
This donation means the classroom learning experience will be better but also it’s a sign that hard work doesn’t go unnoticed and that through community partnerships every community is served. By 2030, Hamilton County Schools will be a leader in developing our diverse graduates to be connected, competitive, and life ready.
One of the objectives to achieving this goal is organizing support from the community and that is one of several ways HCS plans to make sure all children thrive and experience a future without limits.
