The Better Life – with After Schoolers’

Lavelle Carlson

After Schoolers at Robson Ranch Denton just completed another successful garage sale to provide teacher support at Borman Elementary and LaGrone Advanced Technology Center. For two months leading up to the sale, the members volunteer for many duties. Preparation for the sale can be overwhelming. However, there are so many upbeat aspects of the sale that the work does not seem like work.

First, there is the camaraderie shared by members. Where else can we meet such wonderful people that give us a feeling of selflessness? Our members cheerfully put their name on the line for specific duties when asked. Duties can be volunteering their garage for storage, pricing items that are donated by generous residents of Robson Ranch, selling slots to Robson Ranch residents for individual sales, baking cookies and donating money for donuts for the concession stand, picking up and delivering furniture to garages for pricing, again delivering the furniture and heavy items to the sale area the morning of the sale, and more and more duties. Working together on these and many other volunteer opportunities affords the members the opportunity to get to know each other and the schools we sponsor. The day before the actual sale (after all, the pricing and loading of cars, pickups, and trailers is completed) the members celebrate with a fun luncheon at the home of our president, Judy Riffel-Karr.

Thanks to the Robson Ranch vendors who rented spaces to sell their goods and, of course, the customers from inside and outside Robson Ranch.

We thank others outside Robson who do much to make a successful garage sale. Robson Ranch After Schoolers could not do all the work necessary without the help of these people.

* Andrea King of LaGrone Advanced Technology Center sent students from the school’s police and EMS academy to fulfill their community service requirements.

* Zimmerer Kubota & Equipment, Inc., 1421 N. Loop 288, Denton, TX 76209 provided a large trailer for transporting large items – essential for success.

*Jarrell Sharp for loan of a trailer..

* Giovanni’s Pizza, 100 Country Club Rd., Argyle, TX 76226 provided discounted pizza for our helpers.

* Paradise Donuts of Argyle provided discounted donuts for the concession stand.

After Schoolers will now begin putting Christmas gifts together for the teachers at Borman and LaGrone from the proceeds of the sale.

Stay tuned for our next big volunteer fun – collecting food, toys, books, and stockings for the neediest students and families at our schools in November and December. Then, join us for our next garage sale April 18, 2020.

We invite all at Robson Ranch to come join the “Better Life” with the After Schoolers for fun-filled field trips – no kids, just members and spouses. You can be a retired teacher, someone who worked in schools, or simply be someone who likes to support some of our wonderful teachers at Denton Independent School District.