It seems everybody these days is having budget problems.
Not only have local school districts and large automobile companies been faced with financial dilemmas, but young children in Oxford are also experiencing it first hand.
According to Denise Fouracre, coordinator for the HeadStart/Early Childhood Developmental Delay program at Daniel Axford Elementary, the federally funded program hasn’t seen an increase in funding for the last few years and has been forced to eliminate certain activities for the children.
That’s why Addison Township resident and HeadStart parent Bruce Pearson wasted no time coming up with his idea of selling cords of chopped wood to raise extra money.
Pearson is a part of the Parents of Preschoolers organization, which for the past two years has collected money for the students at HeadStart.
His 5-year-old son, Cody, has a special need and attends the ECDD program, which was all the more reason for him to help out.
‘We started this (fundraising) because the Federal government keeps cutting the money for the last two years,? he said.
The HeadStart program has been in Oxford since 1968 and is primarily funded by the Federal government.
Denise Fouracre, HeadStart coordinator, said they felt the budget crunch the most last September, when busing was eliminated for the students.
‘With transportation costs going up so high, we couldn’t afford to provide transportation anymore,? she said.
Parents for Preschoolers was established to raise funds for field trips, parties and any other extra activities by selling items like cookies.
Only, that can get a little boring.
‘You can only sell so many cookies,? Pearson joked.
Three weeks ago Pearson, along with 30 other HeadStart parents and members of the community, spent a whole day at Pearson’s home splitting wood and bundling into cords.
They cut 25 cords worth of wood that day and have sold 20 of them at $50 a piece, totaling $1,000 for HeadStart.
But they won’t stop there.
‘We’re gonna keep going as long as we can,? Pearson said. ‘We’re doing our part.?
Pearson’s friend, Scott Warnke, brought extra wood that would be considered unusable at his tree service.
‘A lot of times this wood would go to waste,? he said.
Lonnie’s Tree Service in Lake Orion and John Comps, who owns White Tail Trucking, also donated wood and their trucks to deliver the cords.
‘There’s a lot of labor involved, but if we didn’t have the wood we wouldn’t have anything,? Pearson said.
Melinda Webb, another parent who has a daughter in HeadStart, brought her older son to help with the chopping because if it wasn’t for HeadStart the children ‘would not have an early chance of learning and socializing.?
‘I thought it was a wonderful way to give back to the community,? she said.
Fouracre said Pearson’s idea to sell wood for money was ‘unique? and couldn’t come at a better time.
‘Especially nowadays where there’s so many schools and organizations that have to rely on fundraising,? she said.
Pearson urges other HeadStart parents to come out and help cut and bundle more wood to help the children.
‘It’s a way for them to realize that by us helping, we can help ourselves too and not rely on the government for everything,? he said.
To order a cord of wood and have it delivered to your home for $50, please call Lisa Wilson at (248) 628-4332.