ORANGE PARK – The Chamber Foundation hosted their annual free Teacher Appreciation Expo yesterday at the Thrasher-Horne Center in Orange Park. 720 teachers registered to receive supplies, door prizes, giveaways and special offers from local businesses.

The Chamber was proactive about ensuring supplies would be useful for each teacher’s grade level, and implemented a new process so there would be plenty to go around. One teacher, Debby Flesher, was pleased with the improvements. “I got a lot of supplies for my Kindergarten classroom. I appreciated the new, less crowded layout and the pre-registration process.”

In addition, 20 boxes of supplies will be donated to five Clay County Title I schools.

The mission of the Clay Chamber Foundation is to support programs that enhance education, economic, research and leadership opportunities by building relationships through business and community involvement.

The Teacher Appreciation Expo would not be possible without generous support from members like presenting sponsor Community First Credit Union. Other sponsors included: Gold Level – Fields Auto Group, Journey Church, Office Max, The Springs Church, Alliance and Associates Insurance, Roderick Crabbe Insurance and Ascension St. Vincent's; Silver Level – Invo-Autism Home Therapy, Clay Eye Physicians and Staples; Bronze Level – UF Pediatric Department, Kinetico, Huntington Learning Center, Tobacco Free, Medtronic, The Joint Chiropractic, Costco and Dentistry 4 Children; and, Bag Sponor – Dr. June Gentle, chiropractor.