Local Businesses Band Together for School Donations

With each new school year, thousands of supplies fly off store shelves as students around Ocean County find their favorite necessities. But for some children, the opportunity to buy a new box of crayons or have a fresh, clean notebook does not exist.

Inspired by the selfless acts of the late Timothy Kohlheim, two local business owners and former Southern Regional Alumni came together to help those students in need.

Shane Skwarek is the owner and Chief Technologist of S-FX.com Small Business Solutions, a Stafford Township-based web design and technology consulting agency. Kevin Campbell is the Owner of KCS General Contracting, a Manahawkin-based home improvement contractor. The two have been friends for more than a decade and spent the summer talking at great length about how their businesses can create a deeper synergy.

"We've been wanting to work together on something for a while," Campbell said. "But there isn't a lot of ways a guy swinging a hammer and a guy clicking a mouse can typically unite." That was, of course, until they got wind of over the needy students in Lakehurst School District who were planning to enter the school year without basic supplies.

"We were fortunate growing up," Skwarek added. "Our parents were always able to get us the coolest backpack or our fiftieth pack of new crayons, and we never thought much about it. Some of these kids don't have those basic necessities."

After learning about the student needs at Lakehurst Elementary, the two local businessmen reached out to the school's administrative assistant, Melina Kotsolakis, and Superintendent, Loren Fuhring, to see how they could help.

"Our district depends a great deal on the generosity of local businesses," noted Kotsolakis. "And donations like the ones made by S-FX and KCS give our students the opportunity to really succeed!"

Skwarek and Campbell were proud to announce that they purchased and donated enough 24-packs of crayons, 8-packs of washable markers, 100-page ruled notebooks, gluesticks, #2 pencils, eraser caps, and two-pocket folders to supply over one hundred students!

"In the grand scheme of things, it's a small gesture that will leave a big impact," said Skwarek. "After hearing all of the great things Mr. Kohlheim did for our community, we knew we wanted to step in to help," added Campbell.

When asked if this was something they hoped to continue in the future, "Absolutely," they both exclaimed in unplanned unison. "We've already had other friends who are business owners reach out and express interest in wanting to get involved," explained Shane. "Who knows, maybe we'll be able to scale this and affect more districts. But for now, we're happy to just have made an impact with the students we did."

"Either way, we encourage anyone with the means - business owner or not - to try and make a donation, no matter how small," Kevin went on to say. "Ten dollars can buy enough school supplies to help a student get through a portion of the year."

In addition to the generous donations by S-FX.com Small Business Solutions and KCS General Contracting, Lakehurst Elementary School is expecting donations from the local Costco and radio station WOBM. They also received various backpack donations from members around the community.