The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
‘The timing couldn’t have been better’
As state shivers, Bielefield Elementary students receive 300 winter coats from anonymous NBA player
MIDDLETOWN — Students at Bielefield Elementary School were surprised by a gift of 300 winter coats from an anonymous NBA donor whose identity many speculated about throughout the event.
“There was a lot of guesswork who it could be,” said Principal Suzanne Shippee Lopez, who confirmed the donation was made by an NBA player but did not name the person.
All 260 students had the chance to choose from a colorful array of outerwear delivered in a big FedEx
truck in a full range of sizes for boys and girls, said Shippee Lopez, who was among staff who helped kids pick out and try on their favorites.
All the coats are made by Operation Warm, she said. The organization provides new winter coats to children in need across North America, according to its website.
“It’s been a process, but it’s been so worth it,” said the principal, who said, considering the frigid temperatures gripping the state, “the timing couldn’t have been better.”
Bielefield has a high number of students who experience “high need in many areas,” Shippee Lopez said. In fact, she distributed a few coats this week after seeing some kids boarding the buses in only sweatshirts, she said.
Several coat racks were borrowed from the in-school Family School Connection. Leftovers will be donated to the center, the principal said.
Although the done was unnamed, children were abuzz Thursday and Friday guessing the benefactor could possibly be Middletown native and Cleveland Cavaliers center Andre Drummond. They were provided with only one clue — during the donor’s time at Bielefield, his favorite candy was Skittles, Shippee Lopez said.
“We pray that it’s him” who likes that particular candy, instructional support teacher’s aide Rosaria Giannetti said. Another possible clue came from Twitter. “From my roots in Middletown, CT to the Rocket Mortgage Field House, I’m honored to feel warmth, confidence and hope anywhere I go. That’s why I’m giving back #Morethanacoat with @OperationWarm and donating 800 brand-new coats to kids in need, so each kid can stay warm this winter,” Drummond tweeted Dec. 21.
When she first got the email about the donation, Shippee Lopez thought it was spam. A couple days later, she gave it a closer read, and discovered the donor was an NBA player. Wondering if the email was on the up and up, the principal had a social
worker look into it. “This is all legit,” Shippee Lopez said she was told.
Fourth-grade teacher Marty Skelly had Drummond as a student 17 years ago, but he, like others, said he does not know who made the generous gift.
Skelly has forged a friendship with the player, whom he calls a “good kid,” and often goes to Boston to watch Cleveland Cavalier games. He recalls Drummond, now 6 feet 10 inches tall, having to sit at the kidney-shaped table at the front of the class because student desks were too small for
him.
The teacher wasn’t aware of his student’s athletic ability at the time, he said, although the principal believes Drummond didn’t start playing the game until middle school, she said.
Every year, he’d come back every time to see the teachers, Skelly said. One time, Drummond came by with basketballs for the students, he said. The player even dropped off 400 backpacks to children at the YMCA, Skelly said. He’s also given to Middlesex Health.
Drummond also donated an autographed sneaker to Bielefield, which is kept on display in the office.
Over the weekend, Shippee Lopez will create a video of all the students with their coats which will be sent to the donor through Operation Warm, along with thank you cards the children made, which carried messages such as “Oh, no. It is raining. But I’ve got my coat,” “You’re a nice man,” and “to Anonymous.”
One more very important item will be tucked inside the package — Skittles.