Florida school helps Columbus Co. school after fire

WHITEVILLE, NC (WWAY) — A Columbus County elementary school gets help from a Florida elementary school after a fire destroys the main building.

Old Dock Elementary School lost its historic main building almost two months ago. The school’s auditorium and library are now just memories for former student Lisa Metts.

“The boys were here and the girls were down there,” Metts says as she looked at the now empty space.

Those memories led her to her career.

“The teachers at this school influenced me to become a teacher,” Metts said.

She now teaches at Lost Lake Elementary School, 12 hours away, near Orlando, Florida.

When she got the call about the fire, she couldn’t help but want to give back.

“I was very heartbroken,” Metts said. “There are a lot of memories there. I sent an e-mail out just asking for gently used books.”

That e-mail turned into 4,000 books from Lost Lake Elementary School.

“I said to them,’ I’ll drive them up. I’ll get to see my family. I’ll take my expedition. It’ll be fine’,” Metts said. “Well, next thing I know, they said, ‘Well you can take the expedition, but you’re going to have to take a U-haul.'”

Principal Ronna Gore says that U-haul is just another step toward creating new memories as the school rebuilds.

“We have little roll around carts, little make shift libraries in the gym,” Gore said. “We have Little roll around carts that Ms. Lee our librarian takes from class to class each day, so the support from different people and organizations has just been overwhelming.”

For some of those people, that building holds irreplaceable memories.

“I keep seeing myself walk out the steps,” Metts said.

That is why Metts took the extra step to bring new students an old memory that will never fade with time.

“I know that you can read a book on an Ipad or a computer, but it’s not the same as holding it and turning those pages and seeing the pictures like that,” Metts said.

Next week Old Dock will celebrate Read Across America Week. Gore says she hopes to send the students home with some of those books.