When the phone rang for Bellingham OfficeMax manager Kellen Smith, he was confronted with a request from an unusual caller: a nine-year-old in need of copy paper to supply his fourth grade classroom at Blaine Elementary School.
“I’ve never had that happen; it was a surprise,” Smith said. “He was a nice young man and he said the school really needed it, so I was more than happy to help.”
The nine-year-old, Sam Johnson, had noticed copy paper was on the wish list of school supplies that his teacher, Mrs. Stiles, had posted outside her classroom door. Johnson’s grandmother Fran Hartman, a retired schoolteacher of 30 years, had suggested the wish list to Mrs. Stiles during a parent-teacher conference.
Hartman discussed with her grandson how to make connections with local businesses. After the pair had practiced a few times, Johnson made the phone call to OfficeMax with his request.
“It’s an awesome skill to teach kids: how to connect with adults, the proper way to talk to them on the phone, and to follow through with a thank-you card,” Hartman said.
On September 22, grandson and grandmother arrived at OfficeMax with a dolly to transport the enormous box containing 5,000 sheets of copy paper. Johnson brought a thank-you card to give to store manager Smith.
Smith told Johnson he would consider supporting Blaine Elementary School next year as well. OfficeMax chooses a different school to support through the donation of school supplies every September.
The following Monday morning, Johnson wheeled the box of copy paper into his teacher’s classroom.
“She looked at the box in shock,” Hartman recalled. “Sam was really proud of himself.”
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