Robb Flint, president of the Dads Club at University Park Elementary, announced yesterday that enough money has been raised to install a sport court at the school. But Flint’s announcement is too funny to paraphrase:
We Had a Dream
Five score years ago, when I was elected President of the UP Dads Club, I had a dream that one day UP would rise up, and live out the true meaning of the creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all children who attend Armstrong, Bradfield, Hyer and UP are created equal.”
I had a dream that one day the children of UP would have their own sport court to play on, just like their friends at Armstrong, Bradfield and Hyer.
I had a dream that my three little children would one day play basketball, four square and hopscotch on a sport court during recess with their friends.
With this faith, I took it upon myself to lead UP parents to make my dream come true.
As it turned out, I didn’t have to do much of anything to rally UP parents around the sport court initiative. An over-whelming majority of UP parents had the same dream I did. And when this became clear to me, it wasn’t my dream anymore. It was OUR dream.
People contacted me to express their support. They donated money. They got their friends to donate money. They attended the Cornhole Extravaganza for Make Benefit Glorious Sport Court UP. They had fun. They made a difference.
The end-result was nothing short of amazing…
Over 150 people donated money to the sport court initiative. Together, we raised $51,745 in less than four weeks. What a great testament to our wonderful school community!
Right now, school leadership is in the process of finalizing the architectural plans for the sport court. The plans will be finalized in a few days. Construction will begin in early July. The sport court will be ready for parents and children to enjoy before the next school year begins.
And when the sport court is finished, the children of UP will be able to sing with new meaning. “My school ‘tis of thee, sweet educational institution of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fellow UP brothers and sisters once played on a cement basketball court, let freedom ring.”
Let freedom ring from the hallways of the school. Let freedom ring from the gymnasium. Let freedom ring from KPAW. Let freedom ring from Dr. Carter’s office. Let freedom ring from the bowels of the school basement.
When we all allow freedom to ring—when we let it ring from every classroom and every teacher’s office, from the east side of the school building to the west side of the school building, we will be able to speed up that day when all of our children, Kindergarteners, First Graders, Second Graders, Third Graders and Fourth Graders, will be able to join hands and sing, “Free at last, Free at last, Thank – ful – ly, we are free of the ugly cement basketball court at last!”
Thank you for your support—it is greatly appreciated.
Robb Flint
President
UP Dads Club
Thanks for the laughs, Robb. And thanks also for not using an apostrophe in “Dads Club.”
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