Back-to-school event provides supplies for every Byck student

Louisville Water’s community outreach staff has held back-to-school celebrations at local schools for several years. This year, a new event at Byck Elementary had special significance because Louisville Water partnered with the Addie and Baylor Kirchgessner Foundation.

Lauren Kirchgessner, niece of Louisville Water Community Relations Specialist Barbara Crow, and Lauren’s husband, Matt, created the Foundation after a car struck their children, 6-year-old Addie and 4-year-old Baylor, at a Panama City Beach miniature golf course.

The Foundation’s main goal is to get books into the hands of young readers, but this year they also provided school supplies for the Byck students. In fact, Foundation donations funded enough backpacks and supplies for every student in the school.

“It’s a great feeling knowing that Louisville Water education and outreach could help the Foundation positively impact an entire school — that’s 348 kids,” Crow said. “Throw Tapper in the mix and it just makes everything a lot more fun.”

“Several parents commented that receiving new school supplies took a big financial weight off their shoulders,” added Lauren Kirchgessner. “But for the kids, a new book and Pure Tap bottle were icing on the cake. We’d love to work with Louisville Water again!”