University Park Elementary Raises Funds For Sport Court, Thanks to Funny Dad
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.”
What a great and funny guy Robb is for his time and effort in this endeavor.
One line in his letter brought up a question though. Where did the money for Armstrong’s, Bradfield’s and Hyer’s sport court originate?
I don’t know how you got a hold of my email, but you were very nice to post it to your blog. I can’t reiterate it enough: a HUGE thank you to all UP parents who donated money to the sport court. Without them, the fundraising campaign would not have been a success.
@ Avid Reader
Bradfield raised the money for our sport court through the annual auction, Dads Club and a Cornhole event…
Funny? I actually think this is at best stupid and at worst patently offensive. Does this man not know the difference between Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address (1863) and King’s “I Have a Dream” (1963)? Regardless of intent, the humor fails: if you’re a rich white dude making a parody, you can’t compare affluent children without a sports center to both slavery and Jim Crow–pick one! Don’t mix metaphors!
I rescind this criticism if Mr. Flint has indeed been Dad’s club president for five score (100) years–since Highland Park’s founding in 1913.
Never have I been more grateful to my parents for sending me to Armstrong.
@E.L. Burkhead – I am offended that you are offended. And that laughter you hear? It’s not with you, it’s at you.
Is this the same Dads club guy who had the offensive facebook page for the group? And what’s up with a Borat movie tie in for elementary school? How old are these parents? Really – show some class. Or at least some judgement.
@PegG.: An “offensive Facebook page”? That the children might see?? Borat??!? I can hardly type as I clutch my pearl necklace with one hand while struggling to loosen my corset with the other. My nerves are so shaken I might just throw up my cucumber sandwich on my pink princess keyboard.
Seriously though – we’re laughing at you, not with you.