Community steps up to support teachers and students impacted by Fox Elementary School fire

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - Messages of love and memories continued to be written in chalk across the street from William Fox Elementary School on Sunday as many families visited the school for the first time since it caught fire.

“It’s hard to see the building with so much damage you know and the kids are pointing out their classrooms and where they spend most of their time in the auditorium,” Suzy Shirley a parent of Fox Elementary, said. “So we’re just kind of walking around the building and taking it all in.”

Shirley says her student’s classroom was on the first floor of the building and they’re hoping everything is still intact including their classroom stuffed animals.

“They can go to Telly the seal and talk about whatever is bothering them so one of my daughter’s first reactions is Telly okay,” Shirley said.

As families continued to flow through Hanover Ave. on Sunday so too did the outpour of support from the community.

Over the weekend Scoop, an ice-cream shop in the Fan, donated 100% of its sales on Saturday to Fox Elementary.

Cutie Kids Consignment, located in Regency Square Mall is offering teachers up to 10 free books from its selection to help teachers rebuild their classroom libraries.

The store owner says whatever books are left by next Saturday she plans to donate to the elementary school.

While some of the school’s Valentine’s Day celebrations may have been canceled, Erin Frye with Gals for a Cause RVA, helped create cards for teachers on Monday.

“We’re holding space for them as they have held space for us as children and for friends and families children through the years,” Frye said. “Now it’s our turn to really wrap our arms around teachers in general and specifically Fox Elementary right now.”

Frye said she’ll be collecting cards up until noon on Monday and you can email her at fryeen@gmail.com if you would like to drop off a card.

Richmond Public Schools Superintendent, Jason Kamras, says if you would like to donate to Fox Elementary you can do so through the Education Foundation and select “Fox Elementary Fire Response” in the designation menu.

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